LeBron James foot injury impact on LA Lakers and their next 15 games: How can it impact their playoff hopes?
LeBron James is currently out with a foot injury and will be sidelined for at least two weeks. However, there is a good chance that he will miss all the games in March, which will make it very difficult for the LA Lakers to qualify for the playoffs.
The Lakers have 15 games left in March and LeBron's return date hasn't been revealed yet. Luckily for them, they have one of the easiest remaining schedules in the 2022-23 season, but this may not be enough to make the playoffs.
LeBron and his team are only one game behind the final play-in spot, so let's take a look at their schedule and how James' injury will affect their playoff hopes.
The LA Lakers without LeBron James
Out of 15 games left to play in March, the LA Lakers have eight games left against opponents whose record is under .500. However, they also have two games against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are currently in the eighth spot in the Western Conference.
Another favorable thing for the Lakers is their home court. Ten out of 15 games will be played at Crypto.com Arena, where they have been 15-14 so far this season. This includes two five-game homestands.
While playing without LeBron James will be difficult, the Lakers should be able to win at least eight games, which should help their playoff push.
LeBron James has missed 15 games in the 2022-23 season so far and the Lakers have won only five of them. This comes as no surprise considering that he's the best player on the team by a large margin.
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Anthony Davis, who's also dealing with injury problems, will have to step up during James' absence. Davis is a fantastic player who can be a beast on both ends of the floor, but he's missed 24 games as well.
How many games do Lakers need to win to make the playoffs?
The Lakers are currently 29-33, good enough for the 12th spot in the West. While this may sound bad, the truth is that they are only three games behind the LA Clippers, who are sixth.
The bad news, however, is that the Lakers are not in control over their own destiny. Even if they win every single game, they may not qualify for the playoffs if the teams ahead of them don't lose games.
The Lakers have two more games against the Timberwolves, who are currently two games ahead of them. If they win these games, they will have a tiebreaker, which will help them make the playoffs.
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The Utah Jazz, who are 1.5 games ahead of the Lakers, have the third-toughest schedule, while the Timberwolves are ranked fifth in terms of strength of schedule, which greatly favors the Lakers.
Furthermore, the New Orleans Pelicans have been awful since losing Zion Williamson in early January. They have been 7-18 since then and are currently on a 4-game losing streak.
Considering how favorable the Lakers' schedule is and that several teams ahead of them may have a tough time winning games, there is a chance that they will make the playoffs without LeBron James.
However, they will need to have a positive record in March if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive. With only 20 games left until the end of the season, Anthony Davis and his teammates will have to step up and put on a great show.