Even with Anthony Davis sidelined due to a stress injury in his right foot, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are winning games in bunches.
They claimed their fifth consecutive victory on Saturday night over the Sacramento Kings, 136-134, as Thomas Bryant has been picking up the slack in a big way.
James can’t help but imagine what a frontcourt of himself, Davis and Bryant will look like once Davis returns to game action.
LeBron: "I've already had visions of what that frontcourt would look like with AD, myself and Thomas."
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) January 8, 2023
Before Davis got hurt, the frontcourt was getting the job done, as Bryant was providing high-quality minutes when the superstar big man was resting on the bench.
After a 2-10 start, the Lakers started to play some very solid basketball in November, and now they’re starting to look like a team that could definitely end up making the playoffs.
Bryant had 29 points on 12-of-14 shooting plus 14 rebounds on Saturday, and he has averaged a double double with 16.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game over his last 12 contests, all of which have come as a starter.
He is also hitting the perimeter shot on occasion, and he came into the contest against the Kings shooting 46.7 percent from 3-point range on the season. That skill will allow him to play well alongside Davis, who has been living in the paint offensively perhaps more than he ever has since joining the Purple and Gold.
Still, by no means is the team’s frontcourt (when healthy) a finished product.
Los Angeles has been interested in trading for Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner going back to last summer, and after he turned down a contract extension from the Pacers, the possibility of the Lakers making another run at him prior to next month’s trade deadline still exists.
The Lakers could use one or two big men who play above-average defense and are 3-point shooting threats. That would open up the floor even more for James, Davis and Bryant. They’re also reportedly expected to bring in veteran center DeMarcus Cousins, a four-time All-Star, for a workout soon.
