Getty LeBron James dunk at All-Star game
The Los Angeles Lakers currently find themselves sitting 13th in the Western Conference, just two games behind the 10th-placed Oklahoma City Thunder and three and a half games behind the sixth-placed Dallas Mavericks.
According to Stephen A. Smith, who was speaking on a February 21 episode of ESPN’s First Take, should LeBron and the Lakers miss out on the postseason, it will be a stain on the legendary’s forwards career.
It’s a stain to some degree if LeBRON misses the playoffs again.
“I think it would be a stain to some degree, and it’s only because of his words…If LeBron James is healthy, with Anthony Davis on the court healthy. You got D’Angelo Russell now, and Malik Beasley to join the crew. Yeah, nobodies expecting a championship, but there’s no way in hell you’re the Los Angeles Lakers and you should stay a 13th seed, or you should even be a 12th, 11th, 10th, 9th, or 8th seed, or 7th.
As far as I’m concerned, you’re the Los Angeles Lakers, there’s only a three-and-a-half game difference between where you are now and that 6th seed in the Western Conference. You’re LeBron James, and you’re Anthony Davis, and you’re healthy enough to be on the court, you don’t make the playoffs, that’s quite embarrassing. There’s no way around it,” Smith said.
The Lakers have struggled for health over their first 59 games of the season, going stretches without Davis and LeBron, but now, fans will be hoping the team can remain healthy and begin to make good on the talent flowing from the locker room.
LeBron James is Ready For Playoff Push
When speaking to the media on February 19, following the completion of the 2023 All-Star game, LeBron spoke about his desire to see the Lakers climb their conference rankings and make a push for the postseason.
“It’s 23 of the most important games of my career for a regular season. … It’s the type of mindset that I have, and I hope the guys will have, coming back off the break,” James said. “I hope I can figure out a way to just make sure that I’m available on the floor every single night for these 23 games to give us a chance. … Give our group a chance to be able to compete every night and give ourselves a chance to win every night so we can give ourselves a chance to get into the postseason.”
Shaquille O’Neal Calls For LeBron James to Get a Statue
During a February 19 discussion with Bally Sports’ Scoop ‘B’ Robinson, Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal discussed why he wouldn’t be against LeBron getting a statue outside of the Crypto.com arena.
LeBron James deserves a statue in front of @cryptocom because he brought a championship to Los Angeles says @SHAQ to @BallySports.
“A lot of people say that don’t count & if you can’t count his then you can’t count Mr. Tim Duncan’s bubble championship. That’s right, I said it!”
“He did win a championship with the Lakers. A lot of people said that don’t count, well if you don’t count his, you can’t count Mr. Tim Duncan’s bubble championship; that’s right, I said it. So, if we’re going to count Tim Duncan’s championship that he had during the lock-out year, we have to count that. So, LeBron has won as a Laker, he broke the (scoring) record as a Laker. Would I oppose him having a statue? I would not…He did what he was supposed to do as a Laker,” O’Neal told Bally Sports’ Scoop ‘B’ Robinson.
LeBron will begin a two-year contract extension next season, so there is still plenty of time for him to add to his achievements in a Lakers jersey, which could cement his status as one of the franchise’s best players.