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In early July, days before the Los Angeles Lakers boarded a plane to Orlando, Fla., Hoping their trip would extend until the NBA Finals in October, Jared Dudley made a far-sighted remark. .
“[LeBron James] is ready for this moment, you can tell, “Dudley said.” You can see in his beard that he’s ready, he’s ready to pull it down and put that Bigen on [hair dye] in. ASAP. “
Sure enough, James ‘unruly facial hair was shaped with scissors and the gray spots were painted black before the start of the Lakers’ reboot against the LA Clippers. He once again looked at the guy who dominated the league before the break in March, although his run through the classification games that followed was bumpy at best.
Now, for the Lakers to be the last team standing, James must overcome daunting obstacles. His roster is still sifting through the chemistry questions amid a quick turnaround, his superstar sidekick has not proven himself in a grueling playoffs and one of his toughest tests yet could l ‘wait for the final of the Western Conference.
James won’t receive any special attention from fans lining up outside the Lakers’ hotel to get a glimpse of their hero. No goosebumps from the roar of the crowd. No satisfaction in silencing a road arena.
“You have to really love basketball to be here because there is no extra motivation when it comes to excitement in the crowds and things of that nature,” James said of the surroundings. the bubble. “You have to really, love, love the game and love the job and be able to focus on your craft, and that’s something that I really love.”
The road to James’ three titles was tough, but he said this week he believes he will embark on the toughest championship race of his career. To overcome these obstacles, he must be more than ready, because anything less than a ring would mean heartache. – Dave McMenamin
MORE: The Most Likely Upsets Of The NBA First Round Playoffs
The delicate chemistry on the court
Once the Lakers struck their multiplayer deal to pair Anthony Davis with their crown jewel in James, one question persisted: Do the Lakers have enough depth to win it all?
That’s why, when Avery Bradley chose not to participate in the bubble for family reasons – his 6-year-old son, Liam, has a respiratory illness that puts him at high risk if he contracts COVID-19 – the The Lakers’ front office knew that the skill set of the veteran guard would be difficult to replicate.
Just like James. The player who has arguably done more with less than any other superstar in his NBA career recognizes how complementary players can often tip the scales. Bradley relentlessly leads ball handlers, often prompting them to make confused decisions under the weight of his pursuit. His ability to fight through screens also allowed the Lakers greats to comfortably slip into the paint and protect the rim.
The Lakers knew they would miss Bradley on the defensive end, but in the end, they also regretted his ball and perimeter prowess. While Bradley is by no means a sniper, he was a competent scorer, averaging 8.6 points and a respectable 36.4% from the 3-point line. A bunch of potential candidates to stick a 3 here and there in Bradley’s absence have weakened miserably during the ranking matches. While Rajon Rondo returns to training with the Lakers after thumb surgery, he won’t help much depth, and a timeline for his return to games remains unclear.
It might have been too hard to expect players like Dion Waiters, who languished with the Miami Heat at the start of the year as a recalcitrant bench player, or JR Smith, who was completely absent. basketball, intervene and instantly gel. with a rival team that does not have time to integrate fresh blood.
That’s not to say that if Bradley miraculously returned (which has no chance of happening) all of the Lakers’ woes would go away. It’s simply an indication of the delicate nature of the team’s chemistry, and how removing a piece of the puzzle puts the onus on those who may or may not be up to the task of filling the gap. designated hole.
When James identifies the double team on Davis and recognizes the need to swing the ball and find the open kick, he doesn’t have to hesitate if Bradley is waiting on the wing. There is confidence and muscle memory. Finding that synergy among a large number of players auditioning for the role while simultaneously trying to hold the mantle as the best team in the West is a tall order.
James has a habit of dragging his less gifted teammates across the finish line. But he also understands the value of unsung contributors – such as Tristan Thompson with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Mike Miller in Miami, both of whom have taken a big place when it counted.
Davis is one of the most talented sidekicks James has ever had. If that will be enough to fill the void of a list whose depth is so precarious. The absence of a good player like Bradley has left the Lakers faltering at a time when opponents cement their camaraderie and shoot for a team that suddenly shows more vulnerabilities than it did in March. – Jackie MacMullan
The pressure on his sidekick
It didn’t take long for James and Davis to become the most prolific smuggler-shooters duo in the league. In their first season together, they tied for 222 Buckets, the most NBA pair. But can this partnership level up in a playoff pressure cooker?
In 2020, we know what to expect from James. His sustained excellence is simply amazing and he will elevate his game when it counts. Davis is another story. While James has played over 10,000 minutes of playoff basketball, Davis has yet to reach 600. James has made nine NBA Finals. Davis made three playoffs in total, winning only one.
In order for James to achieve his lofty goals this fall, he needs Davis to do something the seven-time All-Star great man has never done before: dominate playoff basketball games against top teams over a long period of time. .
“I think the goal is much bigger,” Davis said this week. “When you’re the underdog, you win and win games that you’re not supposed to win. You don’t necessarily have a goal on your back. But when you’re a favorite, the pressure is more on you to win games. than the other team. “
James’ greatest playoff triumphs have always featured other superstar teammates helping out at key moments. Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh were massive contributors in 2012. Ray Allen shot the biggest photo of 2013. Kyrie Irving hit the biggest of 2016. Can Davis do something similar this year?
Davis certainly has the knack of being the best player in any playoff game. But those questions are fair until we see how he fares during an elimination game against a great team.
James Harden is making a fool of himself for his lack of playoff success, but he pushed the Golden State Warriors to the brink of collapse in 2018. Kyle Lowry was stunned for his playoff disappearances, until all that experience got him. helped lead the Toronto Raptors to a surprise title last season. There just isn’t the same baseline for Davis at these times yet.
And this list leaves little room for error. If the teams are focused on James and not threatened by the other dudes, that means all eyes will be on Davis to exploit his opponents’ weaknesses. With James in need of more help than ever, it will take an ever-dominant performance from Davis to get these Lakers over the hump. – Kirk Goldsberry
The impending traffic jams
In the final month of a grueling 2014 playoffs, two defensemen chose to keep James as their primary assignment: Paul George with the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, and then Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs in the Final of the NBA.
Few defenders have locked James in before, especially at the age of 29 and at the peak of his powers, but he hasn’t had an easy time in either game either. James’ Heat was capped at 92.6 points per 100 possessions when James faced George in the half court, then 97.0 points per 100 possessions against Leonard, according to Second Spectrum. James’ quality of shots from the half court was decidedly worse than his regular season tally.
If James is to reach his 10th final, he’ll have to get the best of Damian Lillard and one of the 8 most dangerous seeds in recent memory in the Portland Trail Blazers, then beat the Houston Rockets of Harden or Oklahoma City Thunder of Chris Paul. in the semi-finals. These challenges won’t come without their tries, but they’re light compared to what James will encounter if the Lakers meet a Clippers squad that includes both George and Leonard.
Any team that hopes to defeat James must have someone to defend him. These guys are usually called “wing stoppers”, and the best versions look like Leonard and George. Each is downright in their prime, roughly the same age as James in 2014, while James would be three months before his 36th birthday in the conference finale. James is the longest-lasting NBA superstar in league history, but he’s never faced an opponent with that kind of two-way depth.
George is a spider defender with an instinct to confuse a goalscorer using his length. Over the years, his sense of play has heightened his sense of anticipation to otherworldly levels. Meanwhile, Leonard is the best wing defender of his generation, his physicality so overwhelming that opponents seem visibly uncomfortable in one-on-one situations. Then there are those hands – massive aims that make every possession a potential theft.
Over the past few years, James has shown that with a little rest, he can still be the most dominant force in the NBA. When he defeated the favorite Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals, he only played 21 games in 63 days. Furnished with a six-month hiatus last summer after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2005, James returned rejuvenated; there was no “tipping” when the Lakers ran away with the Western Conference this season.
That’s good for James: A showdown with Leonard, George and perhaps the deepest team he’s ever faced in the playoffs will require every ounce of energy and cunning. For years, elders have opposed his aspirations. Now it’s that guy. – Kevin Arnovitz
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