If any team figures to make NBA history by overcoming a 3-0 deficit, perhaps it can be the one that has held a halftime lead in every contest of the series so far. The Los Angeles Lakers finally solved their own personal Rubik's Cube, the Denver Nuggets, after snapping an 11-game losing streak against them with a 119-108 win this past Saturday. Earning a road victory over the reigning champions is tough to fathom right now, but LeBron James and Anthony Davis can never be underestimated.
The star duo has made its presence felt, racking up big numbers throughout this first-round showdown. While their health has held up to this point, both James and Davis are fixtures on the injury report.
They each played more than 70 games during the regular season, though, and have stayed on the court in these NBA Playoffs. But all it takes is one setback for one of these gamebreakers to be an unexpected scratch.
Such misfortune would end the Lakers' storybook aspirations and force the front office to officially address the future of the franchise. Therefore, fans want confirmation about the status of LeBron James and Anthony Davis ahead of Game 5.
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LeBron James, Anthony Davis Game 5 updates
James (left ankle) and Davis (left wrist) were both listed as probable in the Lakers' must-win matchup in Ball Arena, per NBA.com. Fortunately, they have all been upgraded to available prior to Monday's tip-off.
James' availability was never in doubt, but people were a bit concerned that Davis could be a bit worse for wear after suffering a wrist sprain in Game 4. AD continues to display the most durability of his 12-year career this season and looks ready to go to war with Denver once again. Davis is averaging a team-high 30.5 points, 15.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game in these playoffs.
In spite of those monster numbers, the four-time All-NBA First-Team selection is still drawing some criticism for his occasional offensive lapses in the fourth quarter. He is a top talent and is therefore expected to look the part in crunch time on both ends of the floor. It is a hefty burden, but Davis is probably more equipped to carry it than ever before.
The strides he has taken in his physical and mental toughness should be commended. But if he is on the court, fans and pundits will inspect him with a magnifying glass. Anthony Davis must bring his best in Game 5, just as he did in Game 4's win (25 points, 23 rebounds and six assists).
While the pressure cooker is always turned up high for the 9-time All-Star, a 39-year-old LeBron James is not being asked to prove much, if anything whatsoever. Although he is always going to be compared to Michael Jordan, his legacy should be solidly protected from hereon out.
That being said, getting routinely dismissed by the Nuggets for the second-straight year could persuade him to carefully consider his options this offseason.
Could this be LeBron James' final game with Lakers?
James can decline his $51.4 million player option and enter free agency this offseason, which is the course of action many expect him to take. A Lakers return is certainly plausible, if not likely, but he will want to exercise control over his future, especially with son Bronny James declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft.
If Denver manages to oust LA in Game 5, the franchise may truly be shoved into uncertain times. There has been some turbulence during the last few years, but James' presence has given this franchise the luxury of having lofty expectations year after year. As the mid and late 2010s illustrated, perpetual relevance is by no means a guarantee.
The Lakers have surely relished their prominent position in the sport during the LeBron James era and do not want to prepare for the next chapter of their storied run until he officially retires. Those are summer concerns, though.
They must focus all their attention on beating the Nuggets and extending their stay in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. An active James and Davis will greatly increase the odds of that happening. And at this moment, fans can anticipate seeing them on the floor Monday. Game 5 tips off at 10 p.m. ET.
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