In Los Angeles, the Purple and Gold are still trying to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of an abysmal start to the season.
Once hailed as the next Laker great, Russell Westbrook is now the subject of trade rumors by the media and fans, who have pretty much quit on the star guard in light of his glaring flaws on both ends of the floor.
Meanwhile, Anthony Davis is still M.I.A. after suffering an injury earlier in the season.
Needless to say, the whole situation in L.A. is a mess. So much so, in fact, the FOX Sports analyst Shannon Sharpe likened it to LeBron’s first run in Cleveland.
“They’re not a good team right now,” he added. “LeBron is back in his Cleveland days from his first time around in Cleveland because the second time around he did have Kyrie, he did have Kevin Love. But he’s Cleveland first time around. That’s what this Lakers roster is… They’ve not any good. They have the 10th best record They can’t defend. It’s as simple as that.”
https://twitter.com/undisputed/status/1480584702935265284
When the Lakers won the title in 2020, it was due in large part to their elite defense, which guys like Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard helped maintain.
Now, L.A. is struggling to play with that same level of dominance, and many doubt that they stand a chance against the West’s top teams.
“You got LeBron playing like a superstar but the reality of our eye test, we know this team ain’t winning a championship,” said Jalen Rose. “Not this season. Golden State’s better, Phoenix’s better, Jazz are just better. So based on that, it’s tough for NBA supporters and fans to see a superstar performing as such knowing he ain’t winning a championship.”
In his first run with the Cavs, Bron didn’t have the luxury of playing with All-Star-level talent and it was almost like he put the team on his back.
With the Lakers, he technically does have star talent — but their struggles have left him in a similarly difficult position.
Unless AD or Russ can elevate their game and improve their overall performance this season, the Lakers will never reach their true potential.
