The Los Angeles Lakers remain in an extremely tight race to earn a spot in the Western Conference Playoffs. As it currently stands, the Lakers are in the Play-In Tournament, but could move above that threshold or fall out completely depending on how the team performs in the last two weeks of the season. And with LeBron James back in uniform and Anthony Davis playing at a high level, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green is keeping an eye on the Lakers.
Of course Green and the Warriors are in that same fight as the Lakers, sitting just 1.5 games above the purple and gold. As the defending NBA Champions, the Warriors are a team that will likely give the higher seeds a serious test, but Green believes the same is true of the Lakers.
On the latest episode of The Draymond Green Show, Green called the Lakers a serious threat as long as they can secure a spot in the postseason:
“They are a serious threat in the West right now,” Green said of the Lakers. “Talk about the record all you want, they just gotta get in. They get in, they a serious threat in the West.”
On paper, the Lakers undoubtedly have the pieces to make a run. A superstar duo in LeBron and Davis, secondary creators in D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves, a top-flight defender in Jarred Vanderbilt, perimeter shooters, albeit streaky ones, in Troy Brown Jr. and Malik Beasley.
The problem for the Lakers has been an inability to have all of their pieces healthy at the same time, thus the chemistry isn’t quite where it needs to be. But if they can build that in short order this team is capable of competing with anybody.
And that is what Green knows and understands, especially as a player who has faced off plenty of times with LeBron on the biggest of stages and someone who has experienced it with his own team in the Warriors. It is all about coming together at the right time and the Lakers have the opportunity to do that down the stretch of the season.
LeBron James proud of Lakers’ performance while injured
Of course, the Lakers were able to get themselves in position to make the playoffs despite James being out with a torn tendon in his foot. The team was able to go on a solid run as he recovered and LeBron was proud of their effort.
“Obviously, it sucks not being able to play, but definitely very proud of the team,” LeBron said after his return. “When I was out, I was watching them compete at a high level. Playing the game the right way. Playing Laker basketball. They put us in position to be able to go down the stretch and be able to put ourself in playoff position, so that was fun to see.”
LeBron would add that his goal is to push above the Play-In Tournament and if he is able to get right back to where he was prior to the injury, that goal is a real possibility.
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