The Los Angeles Lakers are situated in a precarious situation heading into Game 5 against the Phoenix Suns.
With star big man Anthony Davis’ status in question before tipoff, Los Angeles needs their role players to perform much better than they have throughout the first four games.
LeBron James, who L.A. needs to be aggressive in every minute he plays, said after Game 4 that he’s “ready for the challenge“.
But every other Laker not named LeBron also needs to be ready, as replacing Davis’ production can’t rely on just one specific player. Every player who registers minutes will need to contribute efficiently in any aspect of the game.
Dennis Schroder will need to shoot better than the 3-of-13 clip he had in Game 4. Andre Drummond’s defense in the paint must improve. Kyle Kuzma must be aggressive when handling the ball, and similar to Schroder, he has to start making shots.
It’s uncertain how the game will transpire for the Lakers, who haven’t posted palatable numbers on offense.
However, Marc Gasol, who delivered a standout outing in Game 4, said after the game that the Lakers are confident it can win without Davis, via LakersNation:
Gasol: “There’s plenty of confidence that we can win without AD, that’s not even a question."
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) May 30, 2021
Gasol came through for Los Angeles off the bench in Sunday’s loss, posting 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three blocks and a steal in 23 minutes.
He also made 3-of-5 (60 percent) 3-pointers in a game where L.A. went 13-of-40 (32.5 percent) from beyond the arc, putting his two-way prowess on display.
The former Defensive Player of the Year will need to recreate that level of performance if Davis cannot play.
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