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Former player turned analyst Tim Legler believes there is no reason for the LA Lakers to shut off LeBron James for the rest of the season. The 17-time NBA champions are in a tough spot, just one game ahead of the tenth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans.
Owing to their dismal 28-36 record, some suggest the Lakers should rest James for the remainder of the campaign as their chances of making the playoffs seem slim. LeBron is having a remarkable season, though, averaging 29.4 points per game.
It was his third-highest scoring season in the NBA. Several analysts and fans still feel that LA could improve moving forward because of LeBron James' terrific form. LeBron, along with Anthony Davis, led the Purple and Gold to a championship just a year and a half ago.
If AD returns healthy, the LA Lakers will be a team to watch out for in the 2022 NBA playoffs. So it doesn't make sense for the Lakers to give in to the noise surrounding shutting James off for the campaign due to their poor performances just yet.
Legler also believes that it won't be a great idea to rest James for the remainder of the year, making his thoughts clear on this matter on the most recent episode of ESPN's 'Get Up' show saying:
"I just don't understand the logic behind shutting him (LeBron James) down. I mean resting for what? He's at that stage of his career if you have LeBron James on your team, he's running out of postseasons, he's only got a few left and he's gonna be gone from the league."
Legler agreed that LeBron James needs the occasional rest, especially after some of the more challenging games like the one against the Warriors recently, when James scored 56 points. The Lakers rested him against the San Antonio Spurs.
The Lakers need someone to step up in the absence of LeBron James
The LA Lakers recorded a 110-117 loss against the San Antonio Spurs in their previous game. The Lakers were without LeBron James and Anthony Davis in that match. Davis has been out due to a midfoot sprain since before the All-Star break, while James was ruled out due to soreness in his knee.
LA struggled to get going offensively, with no available player being able to score consistently throughout the contest. This has been a constant issue all season for the 17-time champions. Anthony Davis has been injured for most of the year, while Russell Westbrook has struggled to carry the load.
Before Davis returns, though, it's Westbrook who needs to step up for the Lakers whenever LeBron James isn't available. That's why the Lakers signed him last offseason, but the 2017 NBA MVP has only managed 18.1 points per contest.
Nevertheless, the former OKC guard is a superstar in his own right, so he can still step up and deliver the goods if he can regain some of his lost confidence.
What can the Lakers achieve with this year's team?
The Lakers have arguably been the most disappointing team of the 2021-22 NBA season. Given the talent and experience they have on their roster, they were expected to be fighting for the top spot in the Western Conference. However, they find themselves in the play-in tournament bracket 64 games into the season.
All hope isn't lost yet as the Lakers are considered a 'playoff' team. They will likely adapt better to the pace of postseason basketball. As mentioned earlier, the Lakers' hopes of turning things around heavily depend on Anthony Davis' health.
The duo of LeBron James and Davis continue to let the Lakernation be optimistic about the team's chances of doing well this year, despite their poor regular-season form.
LA could fight to make a Conference Finals appearance this time around, which would be a commendable feat. It will help them brush aside the criticism they have had to endure thus far and also give them momentum entering next season.
LeBron James will also be keen to add to his legacy of achieving success with the odds stacked against him. With barely a handful of years left in his storied career, helping this Lakers team turn things around and make a deep playoff push will only solidify his status as arguably the greatest player of all time.
