Act Three: A Surprisingly Satisfying Spring
Spring is here, and the tanking has arrived! The Lakers front office and staff realized the playoffs were essentially unattainable after their terrible winter, so the team shifted its focus onto the lottery and next season.
They decided to put LeBron on a minutes restriction (per Yahoo’s Chris Haynes), officially end Brandon Ingram and Lonzo’s seasons due to health concerns, and essentially mix half the roster with disgruntled veterans and subpar G Leaguers.
When it was time for a late playoff push, JaVale McGee was nowhere to be found. His effort and defensive play were embarrassingly bad, effectively aiding in ending the Lakers’ season. Yet, now that the time has come to lose in hopes of receiving a high draft pick, Maester Meme has suddenly re-engaged himself. Perhaps JaVale was sent from the Golden State Warriors to sabotage the Lakers? Who knows.
This month has arguably been JaVale’s best, despite the unfortunate timing. He is shooting 70.5% from the field, 2.3 blocks per game, and the team has posted an impressive 103 defensive rating with him on the floor, per Basketball-Reference.
Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards he scored 20 points while going an insane 9-of-11 from the field. He also corralled five offensive rebounds and four blocks. Five days ago against the Brooklyn Nets, JaVale had the best game of his season, putting up 33 points on 15-of-20 shooting, 20 rebounds, and six blocks. While it isn’t necessarily ideal for the Lakers to win at this point in the season, it has been refreshing to witness JaVale return to his incredible level of play.
JaVale McGee certainly isn’t a player any team with playoff hopes should heavily rely upon throughout the course of a season due to his ridiculous level of inconsistency. An NBA starter’s season shouldn’t mirror the plot structure of a Shakespearean play; teams crave continual effort, reliable consistency, and a positive impact in every game. And while JaVale’s highs significantly increase a team’s chances of winning, his lows can assist in plummeting a squad to the bottom of their conference’s standings.
The man truly is the Hamlet of Hoops. While his iconic inconsistency likely is more due to lack of focus than erratic psychological tendencies, I can’t help but believe he has, at least once, contemplated his basketball career in an excessively dramatic, self-destructive fashion.
“To be or not be an average NBA player? That is the question.”