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LeBron James finished third in ESPN’s top 100 best players in the NBA last season. He dropped to No. 6 this season despite nearly winning the scoring title just a couple of months ago.
Some have pushed back on James’ ranking, as there’s no way he should be in that sixth spot. Fox Sports' Nick Wright had this to say about the four-time MVP’s case of breaking into the top five once the season is over:
"LeBron's not a Top 5 guy anymore. Giannis, Luka, Steph, KD, Tatum right now have a claim they're unquestionably Top 5.
“Giannis is the clear best player in the world. I believe Luka is the second-best player in the world. You then have three guys who have an argument for the third-best player, Steph, KD, and Tatum, right now.
“You then have a next group of guys, which are Jokic, Ja, and Anthony Davis; those are the guys six through eight. LeBron is in that next tier, nine through 12, somewhere in that. … He’s in year 20, and he just passed Magic in assists."
Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has dropped out of the top five in Wright’s list after coming second on ESPN’s rankings. Kevin Durant and Jayson Tatum have worked their way into replacing Jokic and Philly superstar Joel Embiid.
Anthony Davis has been rising through the said rankings. He is 20th on ESPN’s list, but Wright sees him going way up:
“AD is trying to push one of them out [of the top 5]. And the way he’s been playing lately, he would be pushing one of them out.”
It seems like only an injury or flu could stop Anthony Davis over the past month. In his last 10 games, before playing just eight minutes against the Washington Wizards, AD has been balling at an MVP level.
During that stretch, Davis averaged 34.2 points, 15.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.9 blocks. He shot 63.3% from the field and 41.7% from deep.
The LA Lakers could be legit NBA playoff contenders with how their Big 3 has been playing
The LA Lakers’ record dropped to 2-10 when they lost to the Sacramento Kings on November 11. They looked like the worst team the Lakers have ever assembled, which is saying something after last season’s debacle.
With AD’s recent uptick in form, the Lakers have slowly climbed the NBA standings. They now hold a 10-14 record after the loss to the Toronto Raptors without LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Here’s Nick Wright on the Lakers’ push to earn a spot in the NBA playoffs:
“If AD keeps this up, they’re not a team that can be discounted. If LeBron is your second-best guy, you’re in amazing shape! And credit where it’s due, Russ has played really well since he started coming off the bench. He’s not turning the ball over, he’s being smarter.”
The LA Lakers can only hope their Big 3 will be fit enough to carry them to a grueling 82-game NBA schedule. They could make waves in the postseason if they can sustain their current form.
