LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers. (Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Rasheed Wallace has identified the elephant in the room with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Former NBA star Rasheed Wallace knows exactly what the Los Angeles Lakers need to win big in the playoffs: They need a healthy LeBron James. Shocker!
This hard-hitting insight will make or break the Lakers this postseason. Los Angeles will go as far as James will take them. Though Wallace appreciates what Anthony Davis has done when he has been on the court this year, the Lakers are not repeating as NBA champions without a healthy James throughout the postseason. Unfortunately, he is not close to being 100 percent healthy.
So how important is James’ overall health to the Lakers’ potential chances at repeating really?
Rasheed Wallace: The Lakers need a healthy LeBron James to win it all
Los Angeles has four games left in the regular season. The Lakers project to finish the regular season in seventh place this year, meaning they will have to take part in the controversial play-in tournament. The good news is they are not going to be any worse than the eight-placed team in all likelihood, meaning they have to win one of two potential play-in games to reach the playoffs.
They will likely draw the division rival Golden State Warriors in the No. 7 vs. No. 8 game with the winner advancing and becoming the No. 7 seed. The loser will face the winner of the No. 9 vs. No. 10 game for the right to be the No. 8 seed. If Los Angeles advances out of the play-in tournament, they will likely face either the Utah Jazz or the Phoenix Suns in their potential first-round matchup.
Without a healthy James, the L.A. may not even get out of the first round this summer.