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5 massive what-ifs that hang heavy over this ugly Lakers season

By Jason Reed

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 12: DeMar DeRozan #11 and Alex Caruso #6 of the Chicago Bulls share a laugh after a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the United Center on March 12, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Cavaliers 101-91. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 12: DeMar DeRozan #11 and Alex Caruso #6 of the Chicago Bulls share a laugh after a win against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the United Center on March 12, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Cavaliers 101-91. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers Anthony Davis
(Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

4. What if Anthony Davis stays healthy?

This has nothing to do with the decisions that the Los Angeles Lakers have made over the last calendar year and instead has to do with pure bad luck. For the second season in a row, Anthony Davis has been plagued with injuries and he has not been able to consistently stay on the court for LA.

Combine that with the fact that LeBron James missed a chunk of the season while AD was healthy and the fact of the matter is that the best version of the Lakers has not been able to be on the court much this season.

This team still has problems with Westbrook and the extremely shallow bench, but LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still a duo that nobody wants to play in the playoffs, especially when Davis is healthy and is actually playing at full strength.

Injuries obviously happen in the NBA and we cannot wave a magic wand and make them go away. But if Davis and LeBron both played 75 games this season, with LeBron playing how he has this season and AD playing like he did in the 2020 bubble, then this team would be much different.

It is easy to mask the problems of a bad roster and poor superstar fit when you have two stars who are two of the best players in the league. LeBron’s resume speaks for itself and we have seen AD be a top-five player in the NBA before.

If AD stays healthy, actually cares in the regular season and plays at that elite level, then this is a Lakers team that is actually in the conversation to win the championship and is not fighting just to stay in the play-in.

Westbrook and the other problems would have kept the team from winning it all but at least the fans would have hope.

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