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LeBron James and Anthony Davis came into the 2022-23 season expecting to carry the load for the Lakers. So far, it looks as if that task has become too daunting to handle.
The Lakers opened the regular season with five consecutive losses. There was a glimpse of hope after the team rattled off two straight victories. Since then, the Lakers have lost two in a row and find themselves at 2-7 on the year.
On paper, the combination of Davis and James has been strong. James is currently averaging 24.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game. Fellow superstar Anthony Davis also has strong production on paper. He's currently averaging 22.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game.
The problem is that the Lakers' offense has struggled as a whole. Heading into Monday night's games, Los Angeles finds itself 27th in the NBA in points per game. That includes a 44.0% team field goal percentage, which ranks 28th in the league.
Both James and Davis have struggled throughout the season, despite their strong statistics. Speaking recently to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, an executive believes that the two superstars don't even look like the primary options.
"LeBron doesn't even look like a main option right now," one executive said of the Lakers. "Neither does Anthony Davis."
LeBron James and LA Lakers falling down Western Conference standings
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to find a way to dig themselves out of a hole in the Western Conference. Before Monday night's slate of games, James and the Lakers find themselves second to last in the standings.
The Lakers are set to take on the Utah Jazz Monday night. Utah has been one of the most impressive teams in the league and defeated the Lakers on Friday by a score of 130-116.
Los Angeles will have to try to grind out a win without their top superstar. James is expected to miss tonight's game with left foot soreness. While James' numbers have looked strong, he's also shooting just 44.7% from the field and 21.0% from three-point range.
The three-point percentage is especially alarming for LeBron James, as it's the lowest it's been since the 2015-16 season when he shot 30.9%.
The Lakers as a whole have struggled with their outside shooting throughout the season. The team currently ranks dead last in three-point shooting with a team percentage of 28.4%. If the Lakers want any chance of putting together a strong stretch of performances, they will need to become more efficient offensively.
Los Angeles has been without a key number of players in their rotation. Veterans Dennis Schroder and Thomas Bryant have been sidelined with injuries. If the Lakers don't find a way to get more production from their roster, some drastic changes could be on the near horizon.
The team will face the Utah Jazz on Monday night before a Wednesday night showdown against the Los Angeles Clippers. From there, the Lakers will head home for a four-game homestand.
