Looking at the Los Angeles Lakers' season so far, it's been an up-and-down experience. There are moments when the Lakers manage to pile up the wins, going on small streaks of momentum from time to time. On the other hand, the losses also surface frequently, as if in reaction to the wins. The result? A near .500 record (27-26) as of Thursday.
While many fans may attribute the roller coaster ride to reasons such as a lack of team effort and player capabilities, for LeBron James himself, it only boils down to one thing: health. Speaking to the media after Thursday night's loss to the Denver Nuggets, the four-time champion made it clear that the key to a successful push up the standings is a fully healthy team.
“Just health,” James said, per ClutchPoints' Michael Corvo. “Max (Christie) went down today (and) didn't return to the game so our whole year has been about health.”
The Lakers' tough battle against injuries
During the second quarter of Thursday's outing, Christie landed on an opponent's foot following a layup attempt. After heading to the locker room, the 20-year-old guard was diagnosed with an ankle sprain, ruling him out for the rest of the night.
Christie's injury is the latest of several for the Lakers. Heading into the game, it was announced that D'Angelo Russell wouldn't be playing due to his knee. In addition, the team is already missing the presence of three much-needed players: Jared Vanderbilt (foot), Cam Reddish (ankle) and Gabe Vincent (knee).
While there's a chance that all names mentioned may still return to action this season, nothing is guaranteed. For now, LeBron James and the Lakers will have to make do with their current resources. And as it stands, LA is in ninth place, which means they're barely hanging on to a play-in appearance. With over two months of regular season games left, the uphill trudge continues.
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