"What he proved was this was a lost season, but not due to his play" - Nick Wright feels LA Lakers have failed to capitalize on LeBron James' MVP-caliber year
Fox Sports analyst Nick Wright said on Monday that the LA Lakers have not capitalized on LeBron James' MVP-caliber year. 'The King' dropped 56 points in the Lakers' 124-116 win against the Golden State Warriors, which ended a four-game skid.
James is currently in the middle of his third-highest scoring season, averaging 29.4 points per game, the second-highest in the NBA. His exploits haven't resulted in collective success for the Lakers, though. They are ninth in the Western Conference standings, with a 28-35 record.
Nevertheless, Wright hailed the 37-year-old for his performances. He also added that the Lakers could have fared better, considering James' stellar campaign. The Fox Sports analyst said in this regard on 'First Things First':
"What he proved was, in my opinion, if you want to go negative for a moment, how much they've squandered this year. Because when you have this LeBron James, which is basically every year LeBron James."
He continued:
"You should always be all in, you should always be trying to win the title, you should always be saying forget the future and try to win right now. Because this guy might be able to drop 56, on the Golden State Warriors' heads any given night. And so what he proved was this was a lost season, but not due to his play."
"LeBron's 56 points vs GSW was the greatest scoring performance by an old guy ever. LeBron was the greatest teenager, greatest young 20s & he's now the greatest old guy in NBA history. ... What he proved was how much the Lakers have squandered this year." — @getnickwright https://t.co/KdRB0LOxmE
Will LeBron James be able to help the LA Lakers revive their campaign?
The LA Lakers' odds of going all the way this season have decreased with each passing month. They are ninth in the Western Conference and are likely to play the play-in tournament again to reach the playoffs.
They went all in to sign Russell Westbrook last offseason, but the move hasn't paid off. Westbrook has been a misfit, struggling to effectively combine with James and Anthony Davis. Moreover, James and Davis have had plenty of injury woes, meaning the Lakers' Big Three have not played as many games together as they would've liked to.
The LA Lakers lack chemistry 60 games into the season, so it would be an uphill task for them to make a late-season turnaround. Nevertheless, any team that has LeBron James on its roster can never be counted out. 'The King' proved that during his 56-point outburst against the Warriors.
LeBron James tonight:
56 points
10 rebounds
19/31 FG
6/11 3PT
12/13 FT
THE KING https://t.co/IpmNFgeQhH
However, James will have to perform at an extraordinary level, considering Davis is sidelined indefinitely. That suggests that the Lakers may not make the postseason with any significant momentum.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how the rest of the group, including Westbrook, help out James. Their inconsistent showings have largely contributed to the Lakers' struggles.