Can an injured LeBron James take the Lakers to a win against Phoenix Suns?

Posted on by Jim Smarts

LeBron James is a basketball player in the National Basketball Association who currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. James has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and Los Angeles Lakers throughout his 18-year NBA career. He has won four NBA championships in his career: two with the Miami Heat, one with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and one with the Los Angeles Lakers. He has been named MVP four times and finals MVP four times. He’s also a 17-time NBA All-Star, which is quite a feat.

LeBron James hit a game-winning 34-foot three-pointer against the Golden State Warriors in the first play-in game, securing a playoff berth for his side. He scored 22 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, and dished out ten assists for a triple-double. The Warriors were forced to play another game against the Memphis Grizzlies as a result of this. Now Lakers face a tough challenge against the second-seeded Phoenix Suns. 

On the other hand, LeBron James struggled in the first half, as the Lakers fell behind by 13 points. Since losing time due to an ankle injury, he’s still really looking for himself. In-Game 1 of a first-round Western Conference playoff series against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, LeBron James doesn’t sound like he’ll keep anything back. James is currently struggling with the aftereffects of a sprained ankle he sustained against the Atlanta Hawks on March 20. The four-time NBA MVP “is not at full strength, but he’s getting there,” Lakers head coach Frank Vogel told reporters on Wednesday. 

The Los Angeles Lakers rank third in the NBA in turnovers per game (15.2), behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers. The same was true in the 2020 playoffs, but the LA Lakers were fortunate not to be pitted against any of last season’s most offensive players. And guess who used to bail them out all this time? Yes, you guessed that right. LeBron James!

In the Los Angeles Lakers’ victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in February, LeBron James turned the ball over five times, giving him a career total of 4,526 turnovers, a new NBA record. With James being half-fit, the Lakers just cannot afford to depend on LeBron’s turnovers. The Los Angeles Lakers could be punished if they turn the ball over too frequently against a team like the Phoenix Suns. While Anthony Davis and LeBron will play and ensure that the Lakers line up strongly, they still need to come out of James’ dependency. 

But the four-time NBA champion told reporters Friday his right ankle is “good” and that he’s “ready to go.” Many pundits and fans think this game has six or seven written all over it. The suns have been brilliant so far, but it will be hard for them to keep up with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Unfortunately, the Suns get to face the Lakers with LeBron James despite finishing second in the conference. But that’s life, and when LeBron James and Anthony Davis are well, it isn’t easy to bet against them.