The Los Angeles Lakers have a trip to the NBA Finals in mind as they return to play in Orlando. Any other finish will be disappointing to LeBron James and company.
They currently have the best odds to take home the championship at +240. The Lakers will be relying on the play of LeBron, as well as Anthony Davis.
Backcourt Problems
The first thing teams had to worry about when the bubble was announced was players testing positive for the coronavirus, or those who wanted to opt out of the tournament. Laker guard Avery Bradley is one player who has decided not to play in Orlando. He joins a list of players who aren’t comfortable with playing during the pandemic or social justice protests.
But now, since players have started to practice, injury reports have begun. Lakers fans got bad news with the injury of Rajon Rando.
“Lakers guard Rajon Rondo has suffered a fractured right thumb, will undergo surgery and is expected to miss 6-to-8 weeks,” tweeted Shams Charania, NBA Insider.
With this news, the Lakers have lost almost 45 minutes per game. It’s going to be time for Alex Caruso to step up in the guard spot. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be on the wing and Danny Green will still be the shooter on the floor.
It’s likely that Rondo won’t return even if the team makes it far into the playoffs. If playing well, it will be hard to mess up the rotation with someone who hasn’t played since before the season was suspended.
LeBron Factor
But even with this absence in the backcourt, the Lakers’ odds haven’t been affected. They still remain the favorite to win the playoffs.
LeBron has still averaged 25.7 points, 10.6 assists, and 7.9 rebounds per game on 49.8% shooting. He will try to lead this team on a successful run. He will have a lot of eyes on him, especially in the context of his place in the greatest of all-time debate.
“If LeBron’s really the GOAT, now he has a great opportunity to prove it without Avery Bradley and maybe without Rondo. Hey, MJ didn’t have a backup – he played 44 MINUTES in Game 6 at Utah and scored 45, including the game-winner. Suck it up, Bron. This should be your time,” tweeted Skip Bayless.
This could be a great time for him to further his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time, or even THE best. This isn’t like years past when LeBron was in the weaker Eastern Conference. He will have to battle to even make it to the finals.
The Clippers, Rockets, Nuggets, and Jazz are all worthy competitors that will be looking to make a go at the Finals, as well. The Clippers have the next best odds, along with the Milwaukee Bucks, at +300.
If everyone stays healthy and coronavirus remains a small part of the restart, then fans are in for an interesting postseason. There won’t be fans in attendance, but there will possibly be even more watching than usual.
