The Los Angeles Lakers are on the verge of getting swept in the first round of the playoffs.
They dropped three straight games to the Denver Nuggets in the first round. Denver swept Los Angeles in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.
LeBron James doesn’t see why someone would not strive for perfection in such a setting.
“It’s the postseason,” LeBron added. “We are professionals. We’re expected to be anxious. Feel the pressure. This is what the postseason is all about… We understand what it takes to win a championship, and how close to perfection you must be… I have no feelings for anyone who does not strive to be as close to perfection as possible. It’s only basketball. “It’s only basketball.”
Aside from Anthony Davis, several members of the Lakers’ roster have struggled. D’Angelo Russell’s scoreless night exemplifies how the postseason has proven to be too much of a challenge for some of the team’s players.
Russell, 28, has seen his productivity decline in the last three postseason games. While he is not the only Lakers player struggling, his lack of effect is among the most noticeable.
After all, he’s the Lakers’ third-best offensive option and is expected to be a dependable release valve when the team needs more on-ball production.
The Lakers are one game away from their season-ending loss. James is too old to carry the club on his own, and Nikola Jokic is too good for Anthony Davis to lead the Lakers to four consecutive victories.
At this moment, it appears likely that the Lakers will be ousted in the first round.
Rob Pelinka has some difficult decisions to make. Big adjustments are required. With few trade assets, the front office must be imaginative. Darvin Ham could potentially be in the unemployment line.
James wants his colleagues to be nearly perfect. Expecting it to happen for four consecutive games is a huge order that is unlikely to be fulfilled.