Because they are attempting to make the postseason despite having a rocky start to the 2022–23 season, the Los Angeles Lakers already had to be flawless, or at least very near to it, for the stretch run. However, the Lakers’ attempt to at least qualify for the play-in round was severely hampered when LeBron James suffered a foot injury during their heart-stopping 111-108 comeback victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Thus, many pundits believe that what was already a difficult task for the Lakers just became extremely more grueling despite their crucial trade deadline additions. One such pundit who spelled doom for the Lakers amid James’ injury was Shannon Sharpe, one of the most ardent supporters of The King.
Speaking on UNDISPUTED with Skip Bayless, Sharpe explained how LeBron James’ foot injury is a portent of what could be a disastrous end to the Lakers’ roller-coaster season.
“They’re not a very good team. Skip, it was an uphill climb even with LeBron. It’s even more daunting without him,” Sharpe said. “They have a .330 winning percentage without LeBron, they have a .511 winning percentage with him. They’re way way under .500 without him.”
"It was an uphill battle to get to the playoffs with LeBron, it's even more daunting without him."
Shannon Sharpe on the Lakers current situation 🗣pic.twitter.com/M1HdnTvv1A
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 1, 2023
Shannon Sharpe then proceeded to back up his take with some statistics during the Lakers’ first game following LeBron James’ injury – a 121-109 loss to the Grizzlies – to back up his claim. For instance, Sharpe pointed out that the Lakers coughed up the ball 26 times (compared to the Grizzlies’ six) and that they allowed the Grizzlies to score an eye-popping 86 points in the paint.
Simply put, the Lakers will find it difficult to cobble together a winning recipe with James on the mend. If the Lakers were to overcome the odds, however, Sharpe knows that they must start by putting in the work on the defensive end.
“The score was 49-46 [at halftime and then] you give up more points in the third quarter than you did in the first half,” Sharpe added. “I don’t even know what to say about this. […] But when you let it get out of hand, like you let it get out of hand, there’s nothing you can do. I just don’t get it.”
The Lakers could try and prove Shannon Sharpe wrong starting on Wednesday night as they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Source: https://clutchpoints.com
