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#2 LeBron James and Anthony Davis
We weren't able to see 15-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer LeBron James play quite a bit last season, as he struggled with injuries starting in December. It was the first time that James missed the playoffs since 2005 and was obviously an issue for the team, considering they did not have other big-stars on their team. Well, they addressed that this offseason, as the Los Angeles Lakers traded for then New Orleans Pelicans center Anthony Davis, who had requested to be traded.
AD also had injury issues in 2018, playing in only 56 games before the Pelicans shut him down for injury reasons and due to his request for a trade. But now, it is time for him to show if he is worth a big contract by the Lakers and if they made the right move. Davis will be a free agent next season and he has not made it clear whether or not he would stay on the team.
Either way, combining AD with James is a lethal combination if he can stay healthy. If they cannot create chemistry for the team, we could see AD on another team next season (or before the trade deadline).
#3 Russell Westbrook and James Harden
We all know about Russell Westbrook's explosiveness on the court, both on offense and defense. Recently, he passed Hall of Famer Magic Johnson on the all-time triple-double list for second place. So it certainly seems like Westbrook feels at home, scoring a triple-double in just the Houston Rockets' 3rd game of the season.
Former MVP James Harden as we know shows his ability on the offensive side of the ball. After that, it is a question mark. But we do know that both Harden and Westbrook played together on the Oklahoma City Thunder before Harden was traded in 2012.
If they still have that same chemistry, or can create new synergy within the team, they will be serious contenders in the Western Conference. Trading for Westbrook was certainly an upgrade from point guard Chris Paul, who reportedly had issues with Harden.
Guess the Lakers players!
