Lakers: Anthony Davis’ injury puts onus on LeBron James to be great

Given the number of injuries the Los Angeles Lakers have sustained this year, Sunday’s game truly felt like a classic case of déjà vu. In the most literal sense of the term, it served as a painful reminder of the kind of adversity this team has gone through. There is a reason the Lakers finished seventh in the West.

While losing Sunday afternoon’s game was enough of a blow, the Lakers were without one of their stars for the entirety of the second half. Big man Anthony Davis suffered a left groin strain in the later stages of the first half and never saw another minute of action.

Albeit a report from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne suggests Davis’ status is “day-to-day,” it is far from encouraging news amid a tight playoff series. The Brow missed a couple of months of action in the regular season nursing a calf strain as it is. Because of the injury, it took AD a while to regain his conditioning.

Furthermore, Davis dealt with another setback in Game 3 against Phoenix. In the aftermath of a chase-down block, the Lakers’ star hyperextended his right knee. Although he played through the injury to the best of his ability, the concern is that it was yet another setback for him.

Therefore, for there to be an even bigger misfortune take place in Game 4 is admittedly concerning. The term concerning does not even begin to scratch the surface.

Davis is renowned for his injury history, and the talented big man has had a multitude of lower extremity problems this season. One cannot help but wonder how much this will impact the Lakers’ hopes of winning consecutive titles. The long-term ramifications present an entirely different can of worms as well.

However, the primary focus as of now is on this season alone. If Davis ends up missing, say, the rest of this series to recover, the onus will be on LeBron James to turn back the clock.

The Los Angeles Lakers may not move on without LeBron James turning back the clock.

While history has told basketball fans time and time again to never bet against The King, James is really, really going to have to step up his game if L.A. wants to usurp the Suns.

Up to this juncture, James has averaged 21.8 points per game for the Lakers in this series. In all likelihood, the kid from Akron is going to need to average at least 35 points a night if AD misses time. The fact of the matter is that even if Davis somehow plays through his groin injury, LeBron may need to still average that many points.

Davis was mighty inefficient in Game 4 and there is no reason to believe he would be able to perform any better while hampered with a groin strain. Let alone AD, it is hard not to be curious about LeBron’s true status.

For those with clogged ears, LeBron’s 2020-21 campaign has not been an unblemished one. James missed a significant part of the season because of a high ankle sprain. That being said, it is anyone’s guess as to what percentage he is at in terms of his health.

As a result, it is honestly quite a bold request to demand an even greater rendition of James moving forward. The man is 36 years of age and is getting no younger.

It is not to say LBJ is incapable of rising to the occasion. The four-time champion is an all-time great, and, as mentioned, is a tough individual to bet against. Nevertheless, he must likewise play at a great level if the Lakers want to advance.

Per Shelburne, James does appear to be ready to step up to the plate if AD is out. He readily admitted to the media that his “shoulders” will need to carry some extra weight to give his team a chance.

"“These shoulders were built for a reason,” he said. “So, if it takes for me to put some more on top of it, then so be it. Win, lose or draw, I’m ready for the challenge.”"

Lakers’ fans can only hope that No. 23 is ready to rock and roll. The team has not gotten consistent help from their role players and they have been sporadic at best from the perimeter.

Moreover, it is worth noting that Davis is not the only Lakers’ starter with health concerns. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope missed Sunday’s game due to a left knee contusion that was sustained in Game 3 of the series. Whether KCP plays Tuesday night is uncertain. Thus, it speaks to the extra load James will need to hoist on those strong shoulders of his.

In a perfect world, the purple and gold will be in good enough shape if James can once again manage to overpower Father Time. However, it is a task that is easier said than done.

Despite that being the case, there is a high probability Los Angeles’ season indeed rests upon James’ shoulders. The Lakers need LeBron to be as close to peak level as possible to keep their title hopes alive and well.