"It’s a game that both teams want to win" - LeBron James on Brooklyn Nets vs LA Lakers Christmas Day showdown
The LeBron James-led LA Lakers and their cross-conference rivals, the Brooklyn Nets, are in a tough spot ahead of their Christmas Day showdown. James noted after the Lakers' last game that both teams will be eager to win the upcoming matchup.
The two sides will be shorthanded ahead of this epic contest due to COVID-19 outbreaks in their respective camps, but the Lakers are also dealing with on-court struggles. They have slumped to four straight losses recently and are now 16-17 for the season.
Meanwhile, the Nets will be entering this game with a lack of game practice, as their last three matches got postponed due to the rise in COVID cases in their camp. Most of the players that will be available to them have just come out of the health and safety protocols.
But regardless of the struggles both teams may face, LeBron James believes this to be a competitive fixture as he claimed both teams would want to win (via Spectrum SportsNet):
“It’s a game that both teams want to win, no matter what circumstances. Is it going to be one of the premier games that I'm accustomed to playing on Christmas Day? No! So many guys out. You know this whole protocol thing has gotten a lot worse for a lot of the teams in the league right now."
The LA Lakers and Brooklyn Nets were the top two favorites to win the NBA championship this year before the start of the season. The two rosters include plenty of All-Stars from the last decade, making their Christmas Day fixture one of the highlighted games of the year for the NBA fraternity.
"We don't need a full roster. All our defensive guys are in protocols–Avery, Baze, TA, and Austin." LeBron discusses the absence of the #Lakers' defensive cornerstones and looks ahead to the Christmas showdown with the Nets. @geeter3 https://t.co/RrugnvQdIb
However, some of the biggest stars like Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are likely to be sidelined, which has hampered the anticipation of this star-studded matchup.
LeBron James in stellar form for dismal LA Lakers ahead of Christmas Day game against Brooklyn Nets
LeBron James is no stranger to having the limelight on Christmas Day fixtures. The four-time MVP is likely to end up being the best player for the night again when the LA Lakers lock horns with the Brooklyn Nets. He has been the most in-form player over the last few games.
LeBron James is averaging 30 points per game over his last four appearances. However, the LA Lakers have struggled to do well during that stretch. They have lost all of those fixtures and find themselves struggling with several key role players on the sidelines.
LeBron last 4 games:
30 PPG
10 RPG
5 APG
56 FG%
The Lakers are 0-4 in that span. https://t.co/nGTydDsv2w
The onus will be on LeBron James once again to help the Lakers turn things around. LA seems to be running out of time considering they are under .500, 33 games into the campaign. In the face of their losing streak, the game against the Nets will be an important one for them to get going.