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Do Lakers' fans need to be worried with AD out?

Date: February 25, 2021

By: Ryan Johnston 

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Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images 

Lakers’ superstar Anthony Davis was recently sidelined for four weeks after reaggravated an injury in his right calf. He has tendonitis and a strained calf muscle in said calf. This leaves the question, how will the Lakers fare without him on the hardwood? 

 

Davis was a key member of last year’s team that won the NBA Championship, averaging 27.7 points, 10 rebounds, and around four assists-per-game in the

playoffs. This season, he has kept up his stellar play, averaging around 22 points and eight rebounds while the Lakers have 22 wins and nine losses on the season. However, in their first few games without Davis, the Lakers have tallied a measly one win with six losses. However, despite the lackluster record so far, Lakers fans should not be concerned moving forward. Here’s why. 

For one, those two losses came up against a couple of the best teams in the league. The Denver Nuggets made the Western Conference Finals last year and are returning this year with almost the exact same roster. Despite the serious inconsistencies that the Nuggets have had this year, they are still in the playoffs and more than capable of beating any team on any given night. The Lakers’ other losses came against a couple of powerhouses in the East, the Brooklyn Nets and the Miami Heat.

 

The Nets have formed the league’s newest big three with Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving. While Kevin Durant is currently hurt, the Lakers had to go up against Harden and one of the league’s premiere point guards in Kyrie Irving. In the Heat, the Lakers came up against their Finals opponent from the season prior. The Heat have won six out of their last nine games and are looking completely rejuvenated after Jimmy Butler’s return from injury. These are not bad losses. All of these teams have some serious quality and losing to them without Anthony Davis should not draw serious red flags from Lakers fans. 

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Adam Pantozzi/Getty Images 

But will this trend continue? I also do not think so. The Lakers smacked around the Timberwolves pretty easily. While the Timberwolves may not be the best team, the Lakers, even without Davis, are still a team in the upper echelon of the NBA. Montrezl Harrell should flourish without Davis, getting more minutes and more touches on the court. He averaged 20 points-per-game with the Clippers last season as a higher scoring option. 

 

Dennis Schroeder, Marc Gasol, and Kyle Kuzma should also be looking to step up to the plate and get more touches on offense. Lebron James may have to do a lot more heavylifting for the roster, but the Lakers are far from dead in the water. 

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Adam Pantozzi/Getty Images 

Even if everything goes bad for the Lakers for whatever reason, if they just can’t compete without AD, they should still be alright. Davis is only sidelined for around four weeks; in the grand scheme of the 72-game season, that is really not that long. The Lakers currently have 22 wins and nine losses, and the Grizzlies, who are on the edge of the playoff picture, are currently 13-13. There is little to no chance that the Lakers completely drop out of the playoffs and absolutely zero chance that they drop out of the playoff race before Davis returns. 

 

Overall, the Lakers should not be too concerned with this injury. The Lakers are more than talented enough to tread water until the Brow comes back. He should take as long as is necessary to come back, even if it takes until the playoffs. The Lakers aren’t chasing a playoff spot; they’re chasing championships. Davis is paramount in achieving the latter, not the former.

Ryan Johnston can be reached at ryan.johnston@student.shu.edu.

Posted in: Sports

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