Los Angeles Lakers: Three stats that explain the team’s hot start

2. Two MVP candidates

According to the MVP award tracker on Basketball-Reference.com, LeBron James is second, and Anthony Davis is third in the MVP rankings.

LeBron James is averaging 26 PPG, 8RPG, 11 APG, and 1.5 SPG, while Anthony Davis is averaging 29 PPG, 12 RPG, 3 APG, and 3 BPG.

The Lakers have the best duo in basketball. LBJ and AD, in conjunction with the Purple and Gold’s smothering defense, have led to LA’s hot start.

Besides Danny Green, nobody else on the Lakers has looked good on offense. Thus, James and Davis have had to carry a heavy load to ensure LA racks up wins.

Anthony Davis is averaging 35.2 minutes per game (14th in the NBA).

LeBron James is averaging 35 minutes per game (16th in the NBA).

The Lakers are winning, but at what cost? Frank Vogel needs to get LeBron James’s minutes down to under 30 per game, and Anthony Davis should play around 32 MPG.

Winning is essential, but the thought of LBJ or AD going down with a severe injury due to lack of rest is enough to give every Lakers fan heart palpitations. Kyle Kuzma‘s back from injury and Rajon Rondo‘s not far behind him. Hopefully, with two of the Lakers’ best offensive weapons returning to action, Frank Vogel will start to give his two stars more rest throughout games.

The Lakers might drop a couple of winnable games in the process, but folks in LA will understand because if the Lakers enter the playoffs injury-free, they’ll be a handful for any team to topple in a seven-game series.