The Los Angeles Lakers are back in the playoffs and have the potential to make another championship run. Former Lakers forward Lamar Odom likes the team’s chances with LeBron James leading the way.
“Lakers gonna win a championship,” Odom told TMZ Sports when asked how far Los Angeles is going to go in the postseason.
While the reporter from TMZ seemed surprised by the answer, the retired forward reiterated his belief because of “God James.”
“God James, his name is God James, the god of basketball,” Odom said. “As long as we’re healthy, we’re gonna win a championship.”
At 38 years old, James has shown that he is still one of the top players in the sport. He finished the regular season with averages of 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists per contest.
The only knock on his game in the regular season was his inability to stay on the court, as he appeared in just 55 matches. But hopefully, L.A.’s recent layoff allowed James to rest and recharge for a possible deep playoff run in the coming weeks.
Of course, the four-time champion isn’t expected to carry the team on his back. He has help, especially from Anthony Davis, who held down the fort while James was out with an injury late in the regular season.
Davis suited up in all but three of the Lakers’ final 34 regular season matches, averaging 24.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game during that stretch to give the Purple and Gold a needed boost to reach the play-in tournament.
As Odom mentioned, it will take a healthy Lakers squad to mount a possible title run. Hopefully, both James and Davis will be able to stay on the floor in the following weeks.
Interestingly, both stars (along with Dennis Schroder) are currently on Los Angeles’ injury report.
The only Lakers on the injury report ahead of tomorrow’s Game 1 at Memphis are LeBron, AD and Schröder, and all three are “probable.”
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 15, 2023
Even so, it doesn’t seem likely that any of the players on the report will miss the Lakers’ series opener against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
Odom also seems to believe that the Lakers’ signing of Tristan Thompson will be a boost for L.A. because the big man provides the team with additional depth. In Odom’s eyes, it also helps that Thompson is used to playing alongside James.
“He’s a rebounder, defender,” Odom said of Thompson. “He’ll help us out.”
Only time will tell if Odom’s prediction comes to pass.
