Show notes
Once again, it's falling on LeBron James to lead a team into the playoffs.
This time, though, James is 41 years old, and will enter the series as part of a roster meant to be led by Luka Dončić first and foremost, and then by James and Austin Reaves. With Luka and Reaves unavailable, the lineups around James will be at a constant talent deficit. So can LeBron muster up one more run of greatness, and help the Lakers pull an upset over the Houston Rockets?
If we're being honest, even if LeBron plays well throughout the series (a reasonably safe bet) Houston would still be favored to win. But it's clear LeBron finds the challenge intriguing, because it's no longer a given he can put on the Superman cape as he once did. It's something very different. The good news is the stakes are more personal than legacy-defining. Nobody expects this series to end well for LA, and LeBron won't get blamed if the Lakers lose.
But what has to happen to maximize LA's chances?
The Lakers have to find ways to help LeBron help them. They have to get him the ball in advantageous spots, so he's not constantly fighting through five Rockets to make a play or get a shot. That means ball handling and organizing duties for Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard. They obviously have to support him by making shots and meeting (and even exceeding) offensive expectations. They have to find ways to allow LeBron to hide when needed defensively. And they have to find ways to stay tight in the minutes he doesn't play, so James isn't forced to stay on the floor for 40+ minutes every game in the series.
Oh, and they really, really need to show out in Game 1, because trying to come back from a series deficit is going to be brutally tough.
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
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