In Defense Of King James…
The Los Angeles Lakers currently trail the Denver Nuggets two games to zero in the Western Conference Finals. With the series headed back to LA, where the Lakers are yet to lose in the playoffs, there seems to be more panic directed toward where the Lakers are in this series than one might expect for a team that features LeBron James and Anthony Davis. A large component of this fear stems from Denver’s performances throughout the series, and the entirety of these playoffs. The Nuggets have lost three games in the playoffs by a total of 18 points. Their average margin of defeat (6 points) versus their average margin of victory (13 points) is indicative of their sheer dominance over their opponents through thirteen games.
It’s no accident, either. The Nuggets are a stacked roster with both top-end talent and versatile, dependable bench depth. Nikola Jokić, who Bill Simmons claimed had a “bad game” by his standards in game two (23 points, 16 rebounds, 12 assists) on the Bill Simmons podcast, is the most unstoppable force in the league. Even the Lakers, who have a plethora of bodies to throw at him, have no real answer to the issues he causes a defense to experience every possession. With Jokić’s dominance, the Nuggets shooters/slashers simply need to be ready and play to their potential for 10–20 minutes per game for the team to have a chance in any given game, which is why they regularly blow their opponents out and never get blown out.
With this said, let's turn to the Lakers who’ve had an undeniably impressive playoff run led by none other than King James and hide-and-seek Anthony Davis, who’s often proven to be the most important player in both their wins and losses… In the first round, the Lakers beat a beat-up, but scrappy Memphis Grizzlies team that was physically tough but lacked the necessary offensive talent to carry themselves late in close games. In round two, they defeated the defending champion Golden State Warriors, who, in direct contrast to the Grizzlies, were dependent on their superior perimeter scoring, and shooting ability but lacked the necessary interior strength or depth to hold off the Lakers from dominating them on the inside.
In this series, however, the Lakers have found a team that combines the two strengths of their former opponents, in the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets have formidable paint protectors, are tough perimeter defenders, and have the most offensive versatility in the league, maybe barring the Celtics on nights they decide to run their offense (a necessary dig at my stupid home team). In so many words, the Lakers have run into a team they need to play perfectly to beat, and even sometimes, that won't be enough.
This onus should NOT fall on LeBron James, who despite his shortcoming from the three-point line (0–10 through two games), has been consistent and versatile in every other facet of the game for the Lakers. What’s more, is LeBron’s dependability — the team knows what they’re getting from him every single night. Through fourteen playoff games, LeBron has scored between 20–30 points, had at least 7 rebounds, and had a positive AST/TOV ratio in all but one game. Is he performing at the level he did from 2010–2019? Absolutely not. But the team knows what to expect from him on a nightly basis.
Contrary to LeBron’s predictability is Anthony Davis’ lack thereof. While there’s little doubt that AD is now the Laker’s highest-ceiling player, his floor on any given night is far too low to give the Lakers the benefit of the doubt in a matchup versus the most consistent team in the NBA. In fourteen playoff games for Davis, he’s scored at least 30 points four times, and under 20 points six times. Additionally, he has the widest variance in +/- between games of any Lakers player, with a game where he was +31, and one where he was -28.
Anecdotally, it’s in plain sight when Davis is and isn’t locked into a game, with his box score almost always reflecting his play early on. If he starts out hot, expect a 30–15–5 stat line. However, he becomes noticeably dejected when he misses early and appears uninterested in getting involved in the team's offense. This volatility kills the Lakers. LeBron James is no longer at a point in his career where he can compensate for Davis’ bad nights, and that’s more than understandable.
What James has done, in terms of consistency of play, understanding his personal evolution as a player, and knowing when to assert his will into the game is nothing short of brilliant, and this Lakers playoff run should positively add to his legacy regardless of the outcome of this series. Much of the media’s focus has been on James’ inconsistency from three, which I’d counter with him being the team's best defender on Denver’s best guard, Jamaal Murray, and center, Nikola Jokic at times throughout this series, costing his legs the precious juice they need to hoist from deep.
The precedent LeBron has set throughout his career is that he can do it all, all the time. This is no longer the case, though, at 38 years old, and that’s not only to be expected but in reality, wild that he’s still performing at a level where this thought is debatable. With that said, let’s appreciate this LeBron James playoff run. We as fans of pop culture, art, sport, and human achievement always tend to appreciate things more when they’re gone than in the present. I say Long Live The King.
