– Brandon Ingram
Since the injury to LeBron James, a lot of added pressure has fallen on Brandon Ingram. In his third season, many believe that Ingram can be the sidekick to LeBron. However, due to a suspension early in the season and an injury, the two haven’t played all that much together.
With James out, the Lakers need Ingram to play at close to an All-Star level. While Ingram has shown signs that he can do that, he hasn’t done so on a consistent basis yet in the early part of his career. However, when Ingram has played well with James out, the Lakers have been able to win some games and be competitive in others.
In his last two games, Ingram has shown the ability to have an impact on the game in multiple ways. Against the Dallas Mavericks, Ingram showed off his scoring ability as he dropped 29 points on 12-for-21 shooting from the field. Against the Pistons, Ingram only scored 10 points, but he was triple-double hunting in the game with nine rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes. If Ingram plays like he has the last two games, the Lakers are certainly capable of winning without James for the time being.