The Lakers are finally out of Limbo
With Anthony Davis back and LeBron James reportedly close to returning, the team's season-long holding pattern is nearly over.
Welcome to issue #30 of Throwdowns.
First off, a quick thank you to all those who shared, read and offered extremely kind feedback to the previous issue. It felt great writing again.
Now for this one, which is about basketball, cramming for a test and summer camp.
If this year’s Lakers were to be serialized within a book, their hardcover spine would undoubtedly be bursting at the seams with chapters.
The season started normally enough. Retooled, the champions showed off the potential of their shiny new toys, a defense that was as stingy as ever and a star duo sporting bruises still raw from a decorated run through the playoffs.
However, between being fresh off the shortest offseason in league history and faced with the growing pains that come with incorporating a new roster, the group also experienced the symptoms of a gnarly Larry O’Brien hangover.
Anthony Davis approached most games with the intensity of an LA Fitness open run. The new players worked hard to gain traction within the proven core, but experienced slippage doing so. And then there were the overtimes, so many overtimes.
All of which could have easily been chalked up as bland trademarks of a team finding their sea-legs after being slapped with jet lag. Minor hurdles. But like everything in life, things changed — and did so quickly.
In February, Davis would be sidelined with what was at the time diagnosed as a calf strain, later revealing a re-aggravation of his right Achilles tendinosis. He would ultimately go on to miss the next 30 games, but this setback would only be the first teetering domino.
Fortunately, the Lakers still had LeBron James.
With a winning record during Davis’ absence, James flung passes around the floor, netted jumpers with impressive frequency and made enough holy shit defensive plays to make it clear he had another MVP in his sights. This was unfortunately short-lived.
In March, the Lakers would lose James due to a high ankle sprain and have had yet to see him back on the floor since.
Like campers asked to change cabins midway into the summer, the rest of the team was once again forced to acclimate to a new reality. A place that was absent of the blob promised in the glossy camp brochure, and one they alone had to trek without their two stars there to lead them through.
Ronald Martinez - Getty Images | Throwdowns Illustration
To their credit, the non James/Davis Lakers gave it hell. They scrapped mightily on defense (107.9 defRTG), shared the ball and each took on more responsibility than they initially signed up for.
“We're a no-excuse culture,” Frank Vogel told reporters earlier this month. “If we play selfless offense and scrappy defense, we can beat anyone."
The group did and proved just that. They kept the ship afloat with bandages, shoelaces, bubblegum and rowed fiercely enough to fight off those looking to supplant them while the star duo rehabbed.
During this span, the front office would also add two new ingredients to the roster in Andre Drummond and Ben McLemore. The former, being handed a starting nod on his first day on the job.
Already somewhat bloated with new faces, and hampered by the limitations that come with a Chris Jericho-sized injury report, the team needed to reassess and change paths once again. Marc Gasol, specifically, having to give Drummond the top bunk.
At any time, the boat could have sunk. Between being shorthanded, losing close contests and hurt egos, there could have easily been the singular pitfall to ruin it all. And while that could still happen, the team may in fact have finally made it to shore.
Davis has finally returned. LeBron James reportedly may be back as early as next week and with a slight hold over a playoff spot, the team’s destiny is looking to still firmly be in their grasp. Something that seemed unfathomable just a month ago.
It won’t be easy. With only 10 games left in the season, there is still plenty to cram before being faced with final exams. And they are dangerously close to running out of time.
With the front court pairing of Davis and Drummond thus far yielding mixed results, the other bigs taking turns on ice and all while still trying to drill down the on-court principles that only come with more time together, things may ultimately come down to being fast learners.
Simply getting James and Davis back will not magically solve every flaw or obstacle, but their presence on the floor will help minimize them greatly.
Between injuries, the two have only logged 517 minutes together this season (they have decimated other teams/+17.2 net rating). Last year, the tandem were able to spend 1455 minutes fleshing out each other’s tendencies, strengths and building a dazzling partnership.
That ability to both slowly and consistently build cohesion not only from their stars, but up and down the roster helped propel the team through the year. The opposite has happened this campaign.
There are enough holdovers to deploy proven lineups need be in the playoffs. Davis at center is still a fantastic option if the other slew of choices don’t pan out. And the potential silver lining of more reps for the likes of Dennis Schröder in a lead role, and Talen Horton-Tucker against starter level competition during this stretch, could pay off.
Despite every stop and go that has transpired, this group’s ending could still be one that is confetti-filled. And the road they took — while different — might not matter.
Every game, quarter and possession here on out will be crucial. Precious lost time they must value and take advantage of. They’ve withstood the harsh winds, now the real work happens.
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