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With LeBron James possibly retiring in a few years, the NBA is in good hands with a bunch of young stars like Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, ready to take over. Edwards took on James last Wednesday at Target Center and came out on top against the LA Lakers.
In the postgame press conference, Edwards was asked how he felt about playing against someone like "The King." As expected from "Ant-Man," he welcomes the challenge of being guarded by one of the greatest players of all time.
"Any time I see one of those GOATs in front of me, I’m trying to go at them. Every time. I’m not passing. That’s what’s in my mind. Every time I see a LeBron, Kevin Durant, everybody in that category, I’m trying to go at them," Edwards said.
Anthony Edwards put up a great performance against LeBron James last Wednesday night. Edwards finished with 27 points, six rebounds and four assists in the Timberwolves' 124-104 win over the Lakers.
Meanwhile, James had only 19 points, five rebounds and four assists. It was another blowout loss for the hapless Lakers. They are in danger of missing the play-in tournament if they keep losing games towards the end of the regular season.
The only silver lining for James and the Lakers is "The King" getting closer to Karl Malone's spot on the NBA's all-time scoring list. LeBron is just 55 points away from second place and it could happen on March 21st in James' homecoming against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Are LeBron James and the LA Lakers in trouble of missing the play-in tournament?
LeBron James and the LA Lakers have 14 games remaining in their schedule before the start of the play-in tournament. The Lakers have a current record of 29-40, which is still good for ninth place in the Western Conference. But are James and the Lakers in trouble of missing the play-ins?
The Lakers have the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA. They are 2-9 since the All-Star break and James needed to score at least 50 points in those two wins against the Golden State Warriors and Washington Wizards. The New Orleans Pelicans are just one game behind the Lakers for the ninth seed, while the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers are 2.5 games behind.
It's tough to say whether the Lakers will miss the play-ins, but they could really be in trouble judging by the way they have been playing. LeBron James is the lone bright spot for the team as Russell Westbrook continues to struggle while Anthony Davis recovers from injury.
The Lakers will have to face the New Orleans Pelicans twice and losing both games could see them drop to the 10th spot. They are also scheduled to face tough teams such as the Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks.
Meanwhile, the Pelicans and Spurs have a more manageable schedule. If both teams mount a winning streak, the Lakers are in real trouble of missing the play-in tournament. A fitting end to their very disappointing season.
