On Friday, the second half of the 2020-21 NBA officially started for the Los Angeles Lakers. They faced a solid Indiana Pacers team, beating them 105-100.
At first glance, it may seem like things are OK for the Purple and Gold, but there are still some real concerns.
For one, superstar big man Anthony Davis is still out with a bout of Achilles tendinosis and a strained calf. He was re-evaluated on Friday, and the team says he will miss at least another two weeks.
L.A. still has enough to win the majority of its games without him for the time being, but some things need to improve.
Against the Pacers, Kyle Kuzma had a great game, and Montrezl Harrell came up big in crunch time. But they were the only two Lakers who played up to their potential.
The warning signs have been there for the Los Angeles Lakers since at least early February.
The team’s defense has, for the most part, held up very nicely, but offensively they need improvement. When it comes down to it, LeBron James is still the best player in the world, but he needs help, especially at age 36.
No one wants him to tire himself out at this point of the season and not have enough left for the playoffs, or possibly get injured due to overuse.
Other guys have to play better than they have been, and there are three men in particular who need to elevate their play if the Lakers are to ultimately repeat as NBA world champions.