The Lakers Need Jesus

Alright, I gotta get this off my chest.

The Los Angeles Lakers need to get healthy and soon. That is all.

Joking, I can't post an article this short. But this isn't an unpopular opinion. Everyone knows that the team needs to be at full strength. When you think about it, the team hasn't been at 100% all season. Up until mid-December, the team had been exceeding expectations while having key pieces missing but since then, it's been just ridiculous.

When the Lakers got blown out by the Washington Wizards, lost to the Brooklyn Nets the following outing, and then couldn't beat the Memphis Grizzlies at home, people began to question their abilities as a basketball team without pointing the fact they were missing two key players. Brandon Ingram had been sidelined since earlier in the month with an ankle injury. Yet the more important absence was that of JaVale McGee. The Lakers have been finalizing their center rotation; lacking a star big man, they survived alternating McGee and Tyson Chandler at the 5. With McGee out, the team's rotation was completely out of whack as Chandler couldn't handle big minutes. Ivica Zubac did have himself a nice run of games while McGee was out, but there's nothing like having the big man back in the lineup.

Rajon Rondo's hand luck has been purely miserable this season. The guy has had surgery on his hands twice already this season, and we're not even halfway through the year. Did anyone even see when during the Christmas game he sprained/broke his finger? He seemed totally fine, then the next day we heard he'd miss the game at Sacramento, then we heard he was out for at least the next month. Like bruh, come on! The manner in which he controlled the second half of the Warriors game with his calm leadership and ball movement was exquisite and gave everyone hope that the Lakers could stay afloat with LeBron sidelined.

Speaking of which, that guy, LeBron James, kind of a big deal, yeah he's out for the next little bit. I genuinely think he could play right now since it's been about two weeks since the injury, but groin injuries (or any injury in general) should be handled with caution, especially at his age with all the miles on his body. However, the longer he's out, the lower the Lakers will slide in the Western Conference standings. They were fourth on Christmas Day, sixth a week later, and currently sit in the eighth seed. It's crazy how competitive the Western Conference is. Hell, they lost last night to the damn New York Knicks because Kyle Kuzma missed the game with a bruised back. This team really cannot catch a break.

LA needs to get healthy ASAP, otherwise, they can kiss this season (and this offseason) goodbye.