The Lakers are growing, even without LeBron James and Anthony Davis

The Los Angeles Lakers almost resemble a different team when you watch them. No LeBron James and no Anthony Davis, yet this Laker team has been able to establish an identity for themselves during this time of injuries.

It has taken some time to do, and there have been games that they have been outplayed, but no one can deny this team’s hustle and heart as well as the fact that this squad is growing and learning how to coexist without its two stars.

I tip my hat once again to not only the Lakers front office, but head coach Frank Vogel, LeBron and Davis for their leadership and mentor roles that they have as they sit on the sidelines healing up, but also to this current roster of talent that just seems to be getting better each game.

The other evening, they were losing to the Boston Celtics badly. The Celtics actually had to put their starters back into the game to make sure that they would not lose the lead as the Lakers kept on coming. It is one of the many things that I love about this team. They refuse to just quit and die.

During LeBron and Davis’s absences, the Lakers seem to have become another team. It’s almost as if they have molded themselves into a squad that has become quite scrappy and found a way to coexist. There are plenty of teams that go through the same hardship that the Lakers are going through currently, and we see teams like that so many times falter. One that comes to mind is the overrated Brooklyn Nets.

Let’s say for instance that the Lakers did not have LeBron or AD. Who would they be and what kind of identity would they have? Well, we all know that LeBron and Davis are two of the NBA’s greatest players.

That being said, I think the Lakers would be a squad that would hold their own. Of course, they would not be nearly as good without their two studs, but I could see them winning around 43-45 games in an 82-game season and getting into the playoffs as a sixth or seventh seed; being a force to reckon with and a team that just does not quit. In fact, they are currently better right now than a lot of other teams in the NBA and they do not even have their full roster going. What does that say about them?

There are so many different elements about this current team that I really like. One is the growth of Kyle Kuzma and how he has had to take a leadership role in the absence of LBJ and AD. The other is how Alex Caruso has maintained a role of stability for this team as well as seeing KCP overcome his early-season struggle and seem to get back to the way he was.

We have also seen Montrezl Harrell continue to be wonderful in his role off the bench, and see growth come from the young Talen Horton-Tucker. I love seeing all this take place.

Now, just imagine how dangerous this team will be when they get their two commanders back. Their injuries have also been positive to some extent. It has given this team’s core a chance to grow and see how they can handle adversity and tough times.

It is those times that make a champion what they are and the Lakers will only get better as this season keeps on going.