Los Angeles Lakers: 3 keys to beating the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 31
By Ethan Temkin
3.) Get Anthony Davis going early and often
After suffering a groin injury in a collision with Patrick Beverley in the first quarter of the Christmas Day matchup, the status of LeBron is up in the air. Even with reports from The Atheltic’s Shams Charania that team is expecting him to play, it’s clear that James isn’t 100%.
That means it’s time for Anthony Davis to step up and take on an even bigger offensive load than he already has been.
The Davis-only lineups have not been impressive statistically so far, which is in most part due to the fact that the team lacks a reliable playmaker outside of James. And before you say ‘what about Rajon Rondo, just keep in mind that the team sees a -3.2 drop in net rating when he takes the floor, so he’s clearly not the answer.
But still, the team still has somewhat capable ball handlers in Alex Caruso and Quinn Cook, who provide tangible abilities in defense and shooting respectively to ensure they aren’t a complete net negative when they’re on the floor.
Hopefully, Frank Vogel and company realize this as well and get these two more playing time. Also, Davis is still fully capable of creating his own shot, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to get Davis in a rhythm early.