Just as the Los Angeles Lakers’ season was finally finding some momentum, their play-off hopes could be derailed by an untimely foot injury for LeBron James, and there are doubts about Anthony Davis' ability to step up and lead the team.
All-time scoring leader James said he “heard a pop” in his right ankle after going down in the Lakers’ win over the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night, with Adrian Wojnarowski reporting his time off the court is likely to last more than two weeks.
Sitting 12th in the West and three games back from the play-off shakeup with 22 games left in the regular season, the news heaps pressure on Davis to take on the mantle, having starred with several big performances in recent weeks, with D’Angelo Russell also on the injury report. Undisputed host Shannon Sharpe, a huge Lakers fan, is pessimistic about his team’s chances with James out of action.
“What does the history show with AD?” he said. “This is not a knock on him but he has not taken a team very far. You look at him when he was with the Pelicans and he didn’t take them very far; he got past the first round once or twice. Other than that, nothing.
“We have seen when LeBron is not there, he struggles carrying this Lakers ball club. If Anthony Davis doesn’t take them, that’s not a knock (on him). You need other pieces around you and I’m not sure he has the pieces around him; you’ve lost LeBron’s 30 (points per game) and D-Lo’s 15. You need two superstars. That’s why you see teams gear up at the trade deadline because you realise one guy is not going to do it, no matter how good the guy is, not in today’s game, the teams are too good. One guy is not carrying you anywhere.”
Injuries have limited Davis to 37 games so far this season, but the eight-time All-Star power forward has performed at a high level when he has been on the court, averaging 26 points and 12 rebounds a game.
Sharpe’s co-host Skip Bayless is more positive about Davis’ chances of continuing the good form of the Lakers, who have won three straight, but he admits their chances of progressing if they make the post-season rest on James being back on the court.
“The Lakers play the easiest closing schedule in the NBA,” he said. “You have 22 games left and they are the easiest 22 games left in basketball. That should give you a chance to stay afloat, but it all falls on LeBron.
“We can argue all day and night about how hurt he is, I don’t know. Is it possible he comes back in three weeks? Well, if he misses three weeks, it’s over. But they do have the easiest path to at least get in the play-in. Could Anthony by himself, with the new pieces around him, rise and shine to a level that he could at least get you in the play-in?
“Is he capable? Yes, he is. Do I trust that he can now? I do. Anthony Davis should be good enough to lift them into at least the play-in. He should be able to hold down the proverbial fort until LeBron gets back.
“The problem is it’s possible LeBron doesn’t get back for the whole year. Maybe somebody’s going to say, ‘I think you need surgery’ and then it’s game over because even if they made the play-in tournament with just AD, they’re going nowhere."
The Lakers head to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night before facing the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves later this week.
“It’s a fascinating time to put a spotlight on Anthony Davis, who is playing at the highest level I’ve seen him play at," Bayless added. "Let’s see what you’ve got.”
