1. The superstar gap has swayed heavily in the Los Angeles Lakers’ favor
The Los Angeles Lakers have had the best superstar duo in the league all season but the Clippers have been right behind the Lakers all season as well. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are two of the best players in the Orlando bubble, but Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are really solid as well.
The Lakers have the best superstar duo and the Clippers have the second-best. The Milwaukee Bucks have the best player in the league. That is why these three teams have been viewed as the three marquee title contenders all season.
Now, in the NBA Playoffs, the Lakers’ advantage in the superstar department has grown even wider. Anthony Davis has looked really good in three games, averaging 29.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per game.
LeBron has looked great as well, becoming the first player in playoff history to go 20-15-15 in Game 1, feeding Anthony Davis in Game 2 and taking over and being playoff LeBron in Game 3.
Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard has been really solid for the Clippers (have to give credit where it is due) but the noticeable difference has been Paul George, whose self-appointed nickname, Playoff P, is getting more and more ridiculous.
There was already the narrative that George has the playoff yips and he has not done much to help that narrative. George is averaging 15.3 points and is shooting an abysmal 28.99 percent from the floor.
He has not looked great on either end and does not even look to be on the same tier as LeBron, AD, Kawhi or even guys like Damian Lillard and Donavan Mitchell, who has risen to the equation in the playoffs.
Speaking of AD, let’s break down that potential matchup.