The Los Angeles Lakers were on the brink of suffering a second consecutive sweep in the playoffs, and just about everyone believed it was fated too. However, the All-Star duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis showed up and prevented the Denver Nuggets from clinching the series in California. With the next game now slated to be in Colorado, the dynamic frontcourt pairing will have to force another victory to keep their season alive. So, the addition of LeBron to the team’s injury report hardly comes as positive news.
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The Lakers have had a persistent problem of having a healthy roster. The Purple & Gold have added multiple names to their official injury report, and unfortunately, that includes both LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (wrist). That said, there is a massive silver lining here. Both players have been listed as “probable” to play in Game 5 against the Denver Nuggets.
Lakers Status Report for Game 5 in Denver:
– Anthony Davis and LeBron James are PROBABLE.
– Jarred Vanderbilt is QUESTIONABLE. @SportingTrib pic.twitter.com/wP9EGLzw7u— Lauren Jones (@LoJoMedia) April 28, 2024
‘The King’ has had to deal with the same left ankle peroneal tendinopathy for the past few months, per USA Today. However, despite being a regular addition to the injury report, the ailment hasn’t been gruesome enough to keep him sidelined.
Having played 40 minutes per game during the playoff series [per Statmuse] against the defending champs, it is evident that the pain hasn’t bothered him all too much. Further, with the California side on the brink of suffering a Gentleman’s sweep, one can certainly expect James to suit up tonight and try forcing a Game 6.
Additionally, LBJ had also stressed the significance of the upcoming contest in Denver. Considering the fact that a win will shift the series back to Los Angeles for Game 6, James dubbed Game 5 as the “most important game” of the 2023-2024 campaign.
“Monday’s game is the most important game of the season for us, we know that. You lose, you’re done and you win, you keep going,” James said.
LeBron James on the Lakers’ mindset: “It’s a one-game series for us. Monday’s game is the most important game of the season for us, we know that.” pic.twitter.com/d4x9rfihAC
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) April 28, 2024
Despite the losses, the 6ft 9” forward has had incredible outings at the Ball Arena. Not allowing the Denver altitude to be of any hindrance this year [per Lakers Nation], the four-time MVP averaged 26.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists in Games 1 and 2, per ESPN. While LBJ needs to put up a similar performance, if not better, role players such as Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell will also need to step up and help their leaders grab another victory.
