Lakers Notes: Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Playoff Hopes

If there’s one thing we can say about this year’s Lakers, it’s that they have saved their best basketball for last.

Or at least, for most recently. Suddenly, they may not even have to participate in the play-in tournament. They could just make the regular playoffs.

Whoever thought we’d be saying that in January? Or even early March.

A big reason for the rise, of course, is no less than Anthony Davis. If the big man had been healthy all season (always a major “if”), he may be in the conversation for league MVP. He’s just been that good when healthy, and perhaps even better recently.

“I know what’s at stake for us and trying to do my part for us as one of the leaders of the team,” he said, via Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet. “My job is to go out there and to make everybody else job easier with my scoring, defense and rebounding. The more aggressive I am coming out, the game opens up for everyone else on the team and that’s what I’m trying to do, come out with an aggressive mindset and try to dominate each possession.”

It’s been working. The Lakers (40-38 entering Tuesday) currently sit in seventh place in the Western Conference. They are just a half-game behind the Clippers and Warriors for fifth or sixth — which would mean no play-in tournament.

The Lakers? In the regular playoffs? Who in LA would have dared to dream?

• Davis had his most dominant week of the season, averaging 38.7 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in the previous three games. The Lakers won them all.
• By the way, LeBron James hit another milestone in Sunday’s win over the Rockets. James finished with 18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds — tying him with Jason Kidd for fourth place on the NBA’s list of all-time triple-doubles with 107 for his career.
• Overall, the Lakers committed just TWO turnovers vs. the Rockets. As a team. They are just the eighth team in league history to have committed two or fewer in a single game.
• James has gone as far as to talk title. “We just want to put ourselves in position to be able to compete for a championship,” James said, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “It’s a journey, and obviously, we don’t have as much chemistry as a lot of other teams trying to compete for a championship or that have aspirations to win a championship, but I like what we’ve been building over the last month or so.”
• We have more on the Lakers right here and always on our Lakers page.