Charles Barkley has had it up to here with what he deems as too much coverage of the Los Angeles Lakers. For the past few years, he has been very vocal about how he views the Lakers as a mediocre team that gets way too much coverage. The talent on paper that the team boasts since the Luka Doncic trade should warrant all of the hullabaloo that they have gotten. However, when you factor in the collective injuries of the team’s best players in recent years, the team hasn’t reached their full potential. But the Lakers of today aren’t the Lakers of last year.
Legacy teams will always be relevant
The Lakers will always be a story in the NBA just as the New York Knicks are. Both franchises represent the most bustling cities in the league. So, even when their teams are underperforming, their fanbases remain rabid. With the Lakers this season, they’re finally coming into form. There are a few reasons for this.
James, after a slow start to his season, is not only healthy, but also in rhythm. But he has taken a tertiary role in the team’s offense, which has allowed Doncic and Austin Reaves to shoulder more of the team’s offensive production. These roles weren’t as clearly defined last season as the team adjusted to Doncic’s arrival. But when you do have defined roles on a team, it gives everyone more of a sense of purpose. So, now the likes of a DeAndre Ayton can clearly perform in his role and know where he can be most impactful on a nightly basis.
Health is wealth
As a result of having clearer defined roles and better health on the team, they currently sit in third place in the NBA’s Western Conference. Having gone 9-1 in their last 10, they are a good team. They’re the polar opposite of what Barkley has thought of them in recent years. What works against the Lakers, though, is their age and attrition. Some of their better defenders are injury-prone. To hope that they remain healthy through the month of May can be a tall order. We have to hold our breath on the collective health of Marcus Smart, Ayton, Rui Hachimura, along with the Lakers’ big three.
All in all, I couldn’t help but notice that the nationally televised games that the Lakers had, they were beginning to make the most of. Barkley may never admit it, but the team has had him eating his words in recent weeks. I don’t believe that was due to Barkley’s criticism, but just some dumb luck. As the Lakers continue to build on their chemistry, it makes for an exciting postseason.
If the Lakers can enter the post-season healthy, they can make the early rounds of the playoffs interesting. Not to mention, who doesn’t want to see a 41-year-old “King” James take a stab at winning a fifth NBA title. As for now, it’s real sunny in La La Land, and as sports fans, we can all collectively feel Chuck’s eyeroll.
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