The Los Angeles Lakers head into the playoffs with their sights set on redemption. After an injury-plagued season, they are finally healthy with star players, Anthony Davis and LeBron James ready to take on their opponents without any restrictions.
Davis and James Ready for Playoffs
The Lakers’ dynamic duo of Anthony Davis and LeBron James is ready to dominate the playoffs. Over the last three seasons, injuries have kept them from playing together regularly, leading to a lot of struggles for the team. However, with both players fully healthy, head coach Darvin Ham says they will have no restrictions heading into the postseason.
Davis has been dealing with a foot injury since December but stated that he’s healthy now, and his sitting out was only precautionary. Meanwhile, James said he may need surgery on his foot injury after the season. Despite his injury, James continues to play at a high level in the playoffs, averaging 41.5 minutes per game for his career.
Lakers’ Strategy for Managing James and Davis
Managing James and Davis’s workload in the playoffs has been a concern for the team due to their injury history. However, Lakers coach Darvin Ham has no plans to restrict their workload in the postseason. He understands how passionate Lakers fans can be and fears the backlash if he were to restrict James and Davis.
Frank Vogel limited James’ playoff minutes slightly during his first two postseason runs as a Laker. But Ham knows that every game is a must-win in the postseason and will treat James and Davis accordingly.
Injuries have made it tough for both players to share the court this season. When James was out due to injury, Davis played more minutes per game than when they played together. Meanwhile, when Davis was injured, James played 23.9 field goal attempts per game.
Lakers’ Outlook Going into the NBA Playoffs
As the Lakers head into the playoffs, Davis and James are confident in their team’s plan to combat their opponents, particularly against the Memphis Grizzlies. They will face a tough challenge with Jaren Jackson Jr.’s defensive presence as the Grizzlies are ranked third in defensive rating this season.
Despite that, Davis believes they have a good plan to counter it. He has been on a stellar offensive run this season, averaging 25.9 points and 12.5 rebounds.
The Lakers are not worried about their seeding; instead, they are focusing on matchups and being ready for each challenge. LeBron James echoed Davis’ sentiment, stating that the playoffs are all about getting momentum at the right time.
The Lakers have won ten of their last twelve games and went 2-1 against the Grizzlies during the regular season. With Davis, James, and Dennis Schroder probable to play, head coach Darvin Ham believes they have a healthy, deep, and talented roster.
However, despite their talent, the Lakers are still slight underdogs (+105) to win the series against the Grizzlies in the first round of playoffs. Part of this may be due to Memphis being a 3.5-point favorite for Game 1 on Sunday.
In conclusion, while challenges lie ahead for James, Davis and the Lakers in the playoffs, there is reason to believe that they can thrive with both stars healthy and ready to give it their all. The team will rely on each player’s unique talents to make it past any opponent put in front of them.
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