Both of the Los Angeles Lakers big stars, Anthony Davis and LeBron James, are both out with injuries right now. This has resulted in a little bit of turmoil for the team as they try to adjust. LeBron went down with his injury on March 20 against the Atlanta Hawks. Davis has been out for a number of weeks. Since LeBron has been out, the Lakers have went 2-4.
The Lakers seemed to be playing differently with Davis out but now without Lebron, its even more apparent. The team is obviously struggling without their top two offensive threats. Without LeBron and Davis, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and Dennis Schroder seem to be stepping up into a more scoring role. While the team is giving full effort, without their two stars, some nights they are just falling short.
The team is waiting for their stars to return.
Anthony Davis
Davis has not seen the court since February 16th. The original timetable for Davis was extended but Davis is still progressing in his rehab. Davis was originally was diagnosed with a calf strain and Achilles tendinosis. Davis was first given a four week timetable for his return. After a follow up examination on March 12th the team said that Davis would miss at least another two weeks and it seems like it will be longer than that. On a positive note, the team stated on Friday that Davis is cleared to advance his on-court work. According to the team this means that Davis will “be able to increase his volume and intensity in shooting, dribbling and position-specific drills”. The team is being overcautious with Davis and really does not want him to rush his recovery. They don’t want any risk of reinjury for Davis so Davis will come back when he is completely 100%.
The latest on what the Lakers are saying about AD: “Anthony Davis was re-examined by team medical staff earlier this evening. He continues to progress in his recovery and has been cleared to advance his on court work. Additional updates will be given when appropriate.”
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 27, 2021
LeBron James
LeBron seemed to be going into overdrive to try and compensate for Davis’ injury. He hurt his ankle in the game against the Atlanta Hawks on March 20. The official diagnosis is a high ankle sprain and that LeBron will be out indefinitely. This means that Lebron will be out for 4-6 weeks. LeBron is currently in a boot and it seems like the team is prepared for his long-term absence. If LeBron is out for his full time table there will still be games for him to get back into the swing of it before playoffs. Since the injury happened only about a week ago there is no updated timetable for his return or any update on his rehab progression.
The Lakers are obviously missing their stars and are struggling a little bit. While this seems to be a rough patch, it could be an opportunity for more minutes and more opportunities for other players. With more opportunities available, the Lakers will be sharper for the post season. The Lakers need to set their focus on playing the best they possibly can. Then they need to focus on playoffs once the two stars return.
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