- 1,612
- 9
- 38
Defence does remain an issue for the Mavs, compounded by the absence of their best perimeter marker Dorian Finney-Smith. But when you have a frontcourt duo as powerful as that, sometimes it doesn't matter too much.
For the Lakers, that particular rhetoric doesn't apply. They know they're in danger of missing the play-in tournament, evident in their flurry of moves in the trade window that sealed the arrivals of D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Mo Bamba.
Anthony Davis' fitness remains a pivotal part of that. So does James'. The six-time All-Star captain spoke recently on his injury status being conflated by a stress fracture in his foot. He then hurt his ankle in the run-up to 72nd All-Star clash, and his hand in the game itself.
It's very clear that his involvement will play a big role in whether the Lakers make it past the regular season, and as head coach Darvin Ham, stated, there can be no more 'rest days' in the final stretch. This is it.
For the Lakers, that particular rhetoric doesn't apply. They know they're in danger of missing the play-in tournament, evident in their flurry of moves in the trade window that sealed the arrivals of D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Mo Bamba.
Anthony Davis' fitness remains a pivotal part of that. So does James'. The six-time All-Star captain spoke recently on his injury status being conflated by a stress fracture in his foot. He then hurt his ankle in the run-up to 72nd All-Star clash, and his hand in the game itself.
It's very clear that his involvement will play a big role in whether the Lakers make it past the regular season, and as head coach Darvin Ham, stated, there can be no more 'rest days' in the final stretch. This is it.