Injuries can change the entire course of a season. And when every win matters, like it does in the West, the enormity of being healthy gets punctuated even more. The Los Angeles Lakers have been hit extensively with the injury bug. And as they lacked three starters for a second-straight game, the result remained the same. The Purple and Gold recorded their third straight loss, tonight to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Lakers were without LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, and Jaxson Hayes, three key pieces who elevated their roster. Still, JJ Redick isn’t citing injuries to find a way out. He does admit it’s a “challenge”. But he sees “compete and execute” as the formula to survive the Lakers’ injury-riddled spell.
They still have Luka Doncic, who scored 45 points in the loss to the Bucks. But still, as long as one Akron Hammer remains on the sidelines, Stephen A. Smith thinks the Lakers could be in major trouble.
“They’re a shell of themselves right now,” Smith said about the Lakers without LeBron James and some other credible starters. When healthy though, the ESPN analyst strongly feels they have a roster capable of reaching the Western Conference Finals. But it’s vital for them to hold higher seeding to settle into playing teams such as the Thunder.
And in Smith’s eyes, the differentiating factor is the LeBron James and Doncic combination.
Feb 25, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dribbles the ball against the Dallas Mavericks during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
“Considering the way LeBron has played and the way Luka has been coming on, the combination of the two changes everything in terms of the fortunes for the Los Angeles Lakers. With those two on the court together healthy there is no question that the Lakers can get to the Western Conference Finals, without a doubt… But without LeBron James at age 40 in his 22nd season which is just a testament to his greatness without him we see how the Los Angeles Lakers look,” he said on First Take.
Even at 40, King James’ output is surreal. Moreover, with a passing wizard like Luka Magic by his side, James can deploy himself defensively. His high activity and off-ball reads are key to Redick’s plans. In addition, he can do the same things Luka Doncic can do in terms of organizing the Lakers.
But without him, they become slightly predictable. Doncic could only record 3 assists tonight with 6 turnovers. In fact, no Laker surpassed that number against the Bucks. That is largely due to the absence of the high motor and defensive attention that James draws. There’s another downside to him not playing.
It doesn’t concern the four-time MVP much but he has dropped to 8th in the MVP standing. He was in the top 5 as per the last update. But that aside, the Lakers aren’t struggling because only James is absent.
The Lakers are the work of a committee
One of the huge reasons the Los Angeles Lakers thoroughly improved after the trade deadline can allude to Luka Doncic. And without question, the Slovenian guard has been a wonderful addition. However, it was also hugely because of their intense defense which regularly broke down opponent’s plays.
At the very core of it could be three guys. Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura, and Jaxson Hayes. Currently, they are without two of their defensive energizers. When Hayes and Hachimura combine with Doncic, the Lakers outscore their opponents by an average of 4.5 points per game.
Hayes, although not a shot blocker is a highly active center who thrives in Redick’s defensive settings of regular switches. He is mobile and quick and is one of the Lakers best stretches ranked as the best defensive center in the league. On the other hand, Rui Hachimura has missed the last seven games. The three he played in, the Lakers were 18 points superior to their opponents every game.
His two-way presence gives the Lakers a solid defensive unit. The crucial aspect of his game though is to supply as a 41% three-point shooter that helps passers such as Doncic and LeBron James. Of course, having a player who can assert himself such as James can prove to be a game changer.
In his 22nd season, he may not be as fast, but he is still quick. On the fast break, James is virtually a bucket every time down the floor. Moreover, his size and strength allow for the Lakers to play without a heavily built center. However, alluding just his absence alone doesn’t do justice to the Lakers’ team effort.
The reason they prevailed since Luka Doncic joined is due to their team synergy. Everything operated within a smooth flow. But now, there’s no lob threat, they are without their best shooter, and without LeBron James. It’s a heavy loss to incur that is taking its toll on the team.
Luckily, at least Hachimura and James should be returning to the lineup soon. Hayes’ timeline is still undetermined as he deals with a knee contusion. But once the trio does join the team, Laker Nation can expect a great quality of basketball with rejuvenated hopes for the postseason.
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