As we approach midseason, does either LA team have a shot at an NBA title?
Los Angeles’ NBA teams went head to head last week resulting in a win from the Los Angeles Clippers. Although it was a hard-fought game from both sides, it’s clear which tactics are working for these teams and what’s holding them back — resulting in a rocky season for both teams.
From the beginning of the season, we have seen both the Lakers and Clippers perform in ways that have worked and ways that have hurt their potential playoff standings. Many factors reveal that the players have a huge role in the overall success of both teams.
Lakers’ star Lebron James and Clippers’ Kawhi Leanord carry their team with the best overall stats every game, but they can’t be the whole team.
Both stars have played vital roles in their respective victories during the season. With Lebron averaging 30.2 points per game, he’s a reliable ball handler and an overall smart player. Leonard averages 21.3 points per game, which are also good stats to have come playoff time.
Overall, we saw the fall of the Lakers after their last 2020 NBA Finals win, and soon after they began to fluctuate in the resulting seasons. Anthony Davis continues to be a vital player on the team but only when he’s healthy. Davis continues to be injury prone, and even when he’s in with Lebron, the Lakers are only 8-11.
Davis’ latest injury is his bone spur fractured off the navicular bone in his right foot. He was expected to be out at least a month despite the constant backlash he’s faced because of the number of injuries he constantly sustains.
There has been a lot of speculation about Davis and whether or not he should be traded. Many fans are wondering how useful the superstar is if he can’t stay healthy.
With the future of both teams hanging in the balance as we approach playoffs, we look toward the nourishment of potential trades for both teams.
It’s important to focus on trades for a more well-rounded team, which includes the most talked about, the trade of Russell Westbrook. The Lakers don’t have a lot of options, and Westbrook is their safest player to let go of because he’s not much of an offensive threat nor a consistent player.
Until this trade happens, the Lakers must focus on consistently playing as a team and utilize their leading scorers with continuous ball movement.
The Clippers face a similar problem of injuries affecting their team but have a good dynamic setting of all-around players, which works to their advantage. Everyone is able to contribute, and this led to their victory over the Lakers.
Despite the Clippers’ talented team, Robert Covington could be a potential trade because he hasn’t had much use by the team and would be valued elsewhere as a versatile frontcourt piece.
However, the Clippers have a very talented team, so it wouldn’t make much sense to look that severely into trades considering their current standings.
Both LA teams have important decisions about their franchises’ future. The Lakers are currently in 13th place in the Western Conference with a 23-28 record. Their playoff standings aren’t looking the brightest. The Clippers, on the other hand, are in 4th place in the Western Conference with a 28-25 record. When it comes to playoffs, the Clippers are definitely more promising, but everything is up in the air.