When LeBron James went down with his groin injury at first, many wondered if the Los Angeles Lakers could find a way to stay afloat. While the Lakers have had their share of struggles, they look to be slowly correcting course as time goes on.
Back-to-back wins over Western Conference playoffs teams like the Houston Rockets and the Memphis Grizzlies have the Lakers looking more comfortable than ever as they position themselves for a top-5 seed in the Western Conference.
The Lakers do have a slightly tough upcoming schedule, as they face the Golden State Warriors soon as well as the Oklahoma City Thunder in back-to-back games. The Lakers do face the Rockets again near the end of the season too.
One thing that will be crucial for the Lakers going forward is their health. Luckily for them, it seems as if one of their superstars is starting to round into shape with the playoffs approaching.
LeBron James Gives A Health Update
With the playoffs fast approaching, James has been taking it lightly on the court as he returns from the groin injury. He’s progressively improved, as evidenced by the two wins over the Rockets and Grizzlies, but the Lakers were 1-4 prior to that in their last 5 games.
If James found his rhythm again and turned a corner, the Lakers could be a dangerous team to play against in the playoffs. With James being 40 years old and in year 22, however, the team should be cautious. James, to his credit, says he’s getting better daily.
“I’m getting better every day, every game I’m starting to feel a little better. My wind is coming back.”
It is a grueling season of 82 games, and James has played in 64 of those so far while averaging 35 minutes a game. Could this wear and tear impact the Lakers’ chances of winning a championship? That remains to be seen.
Lakers’ Potential Playoff Opponents
If the Lakers finish with the 4th seed and that does seem rather likely, they will enter the playoffs against the 5th seed, which is currently the team they just beat: the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies have not been able to find the formula to beat the Lakers, whether it was Anthony Davis or Luka Dončić on the court.
The other possibilities are the Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, or Minnesota Timberwolves. If the Warriors and Lakers meet in the first round, it will be the most star-studded affair between the two teams in some time with the addition of Jimmy Butler.
The Clippers and Timberwolves pose some challenges for the Lakers, but a lot of potential success for the Clippers depends on the health of Kawhi Leonard. Who will the Lakers face in round 1 of the playoffs? We’ll know the answer to that very soon.
