“I would not in the first round want to see LeBron James and Anthony Davis” - Chris Broussard reacts to Ty Lue saying nobody wants to potentially face the LA Lakers in the playoffs or the play-in
LeBron James and the LA Lakers were swept in the season series by the LA Clippers on Thursday night and Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue still had high praise for the Lakers. He believes health has been their major issue this season, and if Anthony Davis returns before the playoffs, no team would like to face them in the first round.
Many think Lue was just patronizing the Lakers, probably because of his history with LeBron. But a healthy Lakers team could cause problems in the playoffs, especially if they get in rhythm before the end of the season.
Another thing to consider is that LeBron would not want to lose another first-round series. In the 2020-21 playoffs, he lost to Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns, marking his first first-round exit of his 15-year playoff career.
Meanwhile, Lue's comments have sparked reactions from several NBA pundits, including sports commentator for Fox Chris Broussard. On his radio show "Odd Couple" with Rob Parker, Broussard agreed with Ty's stance. However, he stressed that a healthy AD is needed if the Lakers are to pull off any surprises. (From 10:30):
"I think Ty Lue is right on that note. I get how bad they look. I get what you just said - one in 15 against teams .500 or better in the last few months."
"If I am in the playoffs, as a No. 1 No. 2 seed, I mean I'm confident we gonna do what we do and I'm not predicting the Lakers will beat them. I'm just saying, I would not in the first round want to see LeBron James and Anthony Davis."
As things stand, there is nothing to get excited about, as the Lakers could as well fall out of the top ten given how poorly they have played so far. Since returning from the All-Star break, they have a 0-4 record and could extend to five consecutive losses if they fail to defeat the Golden State Warriors later tonight.
LeBron James and the Lakers would have to fight for a play-in spot without Anthony Davis
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski recently reported that Davis has had a setback in his recovery from a foot injury and will be unavailable for an extended period. He was meant to be re-evaluated in mid-March but will be unavailable until sometime in April.
Somewhat buried in Woj’s latest report that got so much attention yesterday was an update on Anthony Davis, who is now reportedly expected to miss another 4-5 weeks with his foot sprain. silverscreenandroll.com/2022/2/26/2295… https://t.co/2U6fypSiPb
Injuries have been the Lakers' worst enemy this season, as they have failed to build the desired chemistry or have a regular starting 5 as a result. LBJ and AD have played in only 21 games together this season and have an 11-10 record.
Nonetheless, they have to significantly improve in their remaining 20 games. Although they have one of the toughest schedules, they have the caliber of players who can help them fight to reach the playoffs.
Seeing as the team was built to contend for the 2022 championship, perhaps they might pick things up as the season draws nearer to an end. While that is a big IF, writing off LeBron James would be unwise.