“It has no impact,” Shannon Sharpe states how LA Lakers are a lost cause despite LeBron James contributing significantly
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Shannon Sharpe and LeBron James
In his 20th season and almost 38 years of age, LeBron James has been averaging 27.8 points this season. The former MVP has averaged 32.1 points, 7.1 assists, and 6.0 rebounds in his last 8 games. Despite putting up historic numbers and pushing himself beyond the need, Los Angeles Lakers are in the 13th spot in the Western Conference.
Disappointed with the Lakers’ loss, Shannon Sharpe, the co-host of Undisputed, went all out on the Lakers. Sharpe highlighted that 3rd quarter tanking is one of the biggest problems the Lakers have not been able to solve. This is true, knowing that the Lakers are one of the worst 3rd quarter-performing teams in the league. Sharpe said, “They can’t sustain the energy or the effort that they played the first half with.”
James faced his prodigy Luka Doncic on Christmas Day, a much-celebrated game. The Lakers led Dallas by 11 points, at end of the 2nd quarter, behind James who has 19 points by the first half. However, against the shorthanded Lakers, Dallas toyed with them in the 3rd, as they scored 51 points in the quarter. Eventually, the Lakers lost the game by 115-124. LeBron scored 38 points at a shooting percentage of over 56.
Sharpe also added that despite James’ putting up big numbers, “It has no impact.” According to the former NFL great, the larger part of the reason was the absence of Anthony Davis. “Take AD’s 27 & 12 out of the mix and what do you expect,” remarked Sharpe. In his last 8 games before leaving with a foot injury, Davis was averaging almost 30 points and 1.8 blocks per game.
LeBron James’ Lakers are indeed a lost cause
When asked about the reason for the Lakers’ collapse this season Sharpe was brutally honest with his reply. He said, “Lakers are not good. They don’t have enough good players; it’s really not that complicated.” Perhaps, it really isn’t complicated to decipher and understand why the Lake show is down and bad.
They are deeply missing Anthony Davis and they don’t have any third player who could become a scorer behind James in absence of Davis. Despite having two of the greatest passers in the league, none of the players on the roster is a pure three-point specialist. That is just the story of their offense, the team has not stood on the identity that they aimed for before starting the season. They have been terrible on the defense when Davis is not on the floor.
Speaking to the reporters after the Christmas Day game against Dallas, Lebron said that AD’s absence is hurting them on the defensive end of the floor. “Reality is, without AD, we lose a lot of length which we don’t have already,” James said. “So we have to make up in ways that, without AD, is very difficult, very challenging. So, I think at one point we had a lineup of I think [Austin Reaves] was the tallest guy on the court, he added.
Not only do the Lakers are lacking length on the floor, but their big players are also not doing a good job either. Thomas Bryant, who is seen perhaps replacing Davis on the roster, is not a good rim protector. If the team is not able to figure out its defensive identity, their collapse in yet another season is inevitable.
Also Read: LeBron James reveals his ‘Greatest Ever’ Christmas Day Game: Know all about it
Also Read: Anthony Davis’ Injury: The Brow gets ruled out indefinitely after serious foot injury
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Nandjee Ranjan
(488 Articles Published)