Is there any hope for LeBron James and the Lakers?
When the Lakers begin their opening-round playoff series against the Rockets Saturday, they will be without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, both working their way back from injury. Consequently, DraftKings Sportsbook has the Rockets priced as -600 favorites heading into the first round of the postseason. LeBron James and the Lakers are 90:1 to win the Western Conference and 150:1 to win the NBA Finals as of this writing.
Are the Lakers completely without hope, though? Using FTN’s Stats & Charting , let’s take a look at their roster to see if there is any reason to think they could make some noise during these playoffs. Can LeBron James turn back the clock?
During the regular season, LeBron James averaged 29. 1 points, 7. 1 rebounds and 10.
4 assists per 36 minutes with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves off of the floor. In the past month, James has a +2. 6% Field Goal Percentage Over Expectation and has scored +0.
7 Points Over Expectation , indicating that he’s still been performing at a high level. Following the All-Star break, the Lakers were 8. 4 points better per 100 possessions with James on the court, compared to when he was on the bench – offering further evidence that he’s still capable of turning back the clock.