National Basketball Association

Can LeBron James keep Lakers afloat while Anthony Davis is out?

Published Feb. 17, 2022 3:01 p.m. ET

Anthony Davis just can't seem to catch a break.

The multi-time All-Star has been sidelined for nearly half of the games his team has played this season, and that number projects to increase after the scary ankle injury he suffered during the Lakers' victory over the Jazz on Wednesday.

On the play in question, Davis skied for a lob pass from Malik Monk late in the second quarter but failed to land properly after stepping on Rudy Gobert's foot as he descended. The misstep resulted in Davis contorting his ankle awkwardly and caused him to miss the remainder of the game as the team carted him back to the locker room on a gurney.

To the relief of the team and Davis, he avoided a serious fracture after his X-rays came back negative shortly thereafter. But a sprain, depending on its severity, could still force Davis to miss substantial time.

Despite Davis' absence, the "LakeShow" put on just that, offering a spirited effort on the way to victory.

With Super Bowl LVI champion Aaron Donald in the building fresh from the Rams' championship parade, the Lakers maintained the winning theme, fueled by the heroics of LeBron James, and late-game dagger 3 from Austin Reaves.

Crypto.com Arena became the King's court during the fourth quarter. James erupted for 15 of his 33 points in the period, knocking down a barrage of clutch 3s to lead his troupe and even mixing in a relaxing meditation session on the bench. James finished with eight rebounds, six assists and two steals to complement his 33-piece.

While James was an unstoppable force, the Lakers are now dealing with loads of uncertainty as they await Davis' MRI results. His examination is set to take place Thursday. How much time will Davis miss, and can the Lakers be successful in his absence?

Chris Broussard is skeptical.

"Are they going to get up to the six-seed?" Broussard inquired Thursday on "First Things First."

"No. They're not going to do that. It'd be great if they could, but no. Will they fall out of the play-in below the 10th-seed? No, I don't think they'll do that either. As great as LeBron was last night, I don't expect those types of performances, and I don't expect him to be able to dominate games the way he did. I think he was hyped up, Aaron Donald was in the front row, and he clearly was playing to Aaron Donald."

James himself admitted that Donald's presence in the building was impactful.

"I just tried to take the inspiration of what he was able to accomplish over the past couple days," James said regarding Donald. "He’s the greatest defensive player I have ever seen play the sport. For him to take time out of his day and watch us play after the parade was amazing."

And for Nick Wright, James' GOAT status means that L.A. will be just fine without Davis in the lineup.

"Because LeBron James is the greatest player ever, yeah he can keep them afloat," Wright emphasized.

"All the Lakers need to do the rest of the year is play .500 basketball. … If you are the 7- or 8-seed, and you win that first play-in game, you are the 7-seed. As many issues as they've had this year, I think they could beat Golden State in a seven-game series."

Nick Wright: LeBron will keep Lakers afloat

With Anthony Davis out, LeBron James rallied with 33 points, helping Lakers achieve a 106-101 win. But can he keep it up for the two weeks AD is projected to be out?

Shannon Sharpe's assessment of the situation on "Undisputed" centered squarely around the King as well.

Davis or not, James represents the clear-cut leader of this unit, both on and off the court.

But without his Robin, James' workload is going to increase that much more. Time will tell if he can push through the marathon without any cracks in his armor.