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The LA Lakers have lost their shot at defending their NBA Finals title after falling to the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of their 2021 NBA playoffs. The Lakers have struggled since February after injuries sidelined Anthony Davis and subsequently LeBron James.
The Phoenix Suns clinched the number two seed in the Western Conference with a 51-21 run. Meanwhile, the LA Lakers had to overcome the Golden State Warriors in the inaugural play-in tournament for the seventh seed. LeBron's clutch 3-point shot sent Stephen Curry and the Warriors packing.
Chris Paul's shoulder injury in Game 2 was a factor that led to the Lakers winning Games 2 & 3. Although the LA Lakers took an early 2-1 lead in the series, the early departure of Anthony Davis in Game 4 turned the series back in favor of the Phoenix Suns.
It was a disheartening end to the series as no one could bet against LeBron, especially in the first round. However, the LA Lakers did not play with enough conviction, eventually losing the series 4-2 at Staples Center.
Regardless, here are five things we have learned from this series.
#1 The LA Lakers struggled without Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis returned just in time before the end of the regular season ahead of the playoffs. The LA Lakers forward still struggled to form up until the first game of the series.
Davis registered only 13 points and seven rebounds in the 99-90 loss to the Phoenix Suns in Game 1. He was dominated by DeAndre Ayton and Jae Crowder in the paint. He turned things around in Games 2 & 3, recording 68 points in both outings.
Without Anthony Davis, the Phoenix Suns were not at all threatened on defense. The LA Lakers had a hard time getting points on the board. In Games 4, 5, and 6, they averaged 92 points per game.
#2 The Phoenix Suns youngsters were not scared of the big stage
Three of the Phoenix Suns' starters are having their first run in the NBA playoffs. All three have risen to the occasion, especially Devin Booker.
Booker posed all sorts of problems for the LA Lakers defense, who found it hard to contain him. His explosiveness and wit helped him get past the number one defensive-rated team in the league.
Mikal Bridges did a good job defending LeBron and knocking down 3's, while DeAndre Ayton was a force in the paint on both ends of the court.
#3 The LA Lakers role players were non-existent
The LA Lakers thrived in the 2020 Orlando bubble on three-point shooting. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Danny Green were mostly responsible for knocking down three-point shots as they delivered.
Things were different against the Phoenix Suns in the 2021 playoffs as KCP could not find his shooting range. Ben McLemore and Wesley Mathews, who were also brought in for their three-point shooting, did a terrible job converting from beyond the arc. The LA Lakers only scored 59 out of 197 attempts.
#4 The Phoenix Suns were more impressive defensively
The Phoenix Suns came into the playoffs ninth in defensive rating. Although the LA Lakers' offense did not fire on all cylinders, the Suns' defense did a great job of pestering the Lakers and limiting their scoring.
The LA Lakers managed to register an average of 97.5 points, with their worst scoring game being Game 5 (85). It got to a point where the Lakers team depended on only three-pointers as they could not find free lanes to the hoop.
Jae Crowder needs an honorable mention for his efforts guarding two of the most dangerous players in the NBA. Although he got ejected for his excesses, he was able to disrupt the rhythm of LeBron and AD.
#5 LeBron James is not as vicious as he once was
LeBron James holds the record for the most NBA playoffs appearances in league history (260). LeBron also never got eliminated in the first round in all of his 14 playoff qualifications. However, things were different in the 2021 NBA playoffs.
LeBron is known to flip the switch when push comes to shove in the playoffs, as he has single-handedly orchestrated some of the most bizarre comebacks. Unfortunately, the veteran was unable to bail his team out this time.
Although LeBron was not fully healthy, it seemed like he played with a lot of caution to avoid the risk of aggravating his injury. To that effect, he was not as threatening as he regularly is despite his bold claim of his shoulders being big enough to carry the team without AD.
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