For months, it looked like the Los Angeles Lakers were destined to send Victor Wembanyama to the New Orleans Pelicans. And tonight, they showed exactly why that is not happening. With LeBron James out, the Lakers were touted to go down; instead, they have been swinging out of their corner and winning.
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Tonight against the Pelicans (sans Zion Williamson), the purple and gold put on a show. Anthony Davis was back to his marauding best after a two-game lull. 35 points and 17 rebounds in total for the 2020 champion. In addition to that, Malik Beasley showed why the Lakers put their eggs in his basket.
Leading the 3-point shooting for the night, he hit 7 triples from beyond the arc. With an unusually quiet night from Dennis Schroeder on the cards, the other players stepped up to help him out, and the Lakers comfortably beat their eighth-place hopefuls.
Skip Bayless thought the victory was easy and is waiting for one man to finish his rehabilitation and put on the jersey once again.
Also Read: “LeBron James Should Defer To Anthony Davis”: Paul Pierce Has a Suggestion For Lakers’ Betterment
Skip Bayless has been batting for the Lakers the past month – maybe he’s turned for good
A perennial Los Angeles hater, Skip has been the voice of reason (shockingly!) for the Lakers since the deadline. He’s been batting for the Lakers, egging them on to win. Not in a sarcastic way, but in a fan-like manner.
He wants LeBron James to come back and join the fun because he feels like LBJ is missing out. And for the right reasons, because until his injury against Dallas, the new-look Lakers were undefeated. They only lost their first game right after that, but have held steady. Is he still a LeBron James hater? No, he is more of a fan!
They are about to enter the top eight if they win their next game against the Rockets, but that could be in doubt since AD is out. Will the other players step up? We shall see. They have a .500 record on the line and everything to play for at the moment.
Also Read: “You go, Girl!”: LeBron James is in Awe of Wife Savannah James’ Latest Feature on Vogue Magazine
The Los Angeles Lakers are officially in the mix for the Play-in – Could they go even further when LeBron James comes back?
The Los Angeles Lakers looked like they were certainly out for the season—until Rob Pelinka pulled off a blinder of a trade at the deadline. He moved pieces around and set up a team that can genuinely compete. Moreover, it has led to better dressing room chemistry.
Whatever transpired between Anthony Davis and LeBron James seems to be well hidden, because the wins are pouring in. Sure, they may have faltered at a few stages, but that was expected. Nobody expected them to be perfect, but not this good either.
D’Angelo Russell is playing like he never missed a game, and Jarred Vanderbilt and his long arms are doing the trick. Anthony Davis has been freed up to play his offensive role to the max and has regained his November form.
With the King doing his “Dragon Ball Z Medical Machine” healing, it is only a matter of time before he returns with greatly improved powers. How long will that keep him from twisting another ankle or from having adductor pain? We shall see. Right now, the Lakers are heading in the right direction, though they are not yet championship-ready.
