NBA analyst confident about LA Lakers’ playoff hopes if Anthony Davis returns by February

The LA Lakers have won three out of their last four games and are now 16-21. While they are still five games under .500, LeBron James is playing incredibly well and could lead the team to the play-in.

While finishing with one of the top six records in the Western Conference sounds impossible, there is a good chance that the Lakers will finish 10th or higher. Shannon Sharpe believes in them and thinks they could be a scary team. On "Undisputed," he said as much to Skip Bayless:

"If Anthony Davis can come back mid-January, maybe early February, and LeBron James is still playing at this level ... I think the Lakers can get to the play-in," Sharpe said. "When they get to the play-in and have Anthony Davis, they're gonna be a very scary team."

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While there is no timetable for Davis' injury, the Lakers are hoping he will return soon. He's a key piece of the team and has had several amazing performances in the 2022-23 season.

LA Lakers could make the playoffs in 2023

As of Jan. 4, 2023, the LA Lakers are just 1.5 games behind the Utah Jazz, who are in 10th spot in the conference. Last season, the San Antonio Spurs finished in this spot, despite being 14 games under .500.

Shannon Sharpe believes in LeBron James and that the Lakers can make the play-in with him. Considering how good he has been lately, it's hard to doubt James, even though he recently turned 38.

"I think LeBron is in a tremendous rhythm," Sharpe said. "He's played outstanding basketball, 40-point games in back-to-back games. He's the de facto leader of this team, and without Anthony Davis, he's taken more of a scoring load."

The NBA analyst also pointed out how LeBron James' points are up, yet his assists are down. Instead, other players on the team, like Russell Westbrook, have helped the 18-time All-Star run the floor.

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With 29.0 points per game, the LA Lakers forward is having the fifth-best scoring season of his impressive NBA career. Considering that he's had back-to-back 40-point games, there is a good chance that he will get to an average of 30 or more points soon.

What's next for Lakers?

The LA Lakers will host the Miami Heat on Wednesday night as James will once again play against his former team. Considering that the Heat have won eight out of their last 11 games, the Lakers will be in for a tough match.

LeBron scored 27 points against his former team on Dec. 28, 2022 (Image via Getty Images)

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The two teams met in Miami last week, but the Heat prevailed 112-98. James had an efficient scoring performance with 27 points on 10-for-18 shooting, but it wasn't enough to beat his former team.