When NBA action resumes later this month, the absence of Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley from the team’s lineup could have a serious impact.
That becomes abundantly clear when the veteran’s contributions in big games prior to the NBA shutdown in March are brought into focus.
Remember that early March weekend that consisted of #Lakers victories over the Bucks & Clippers?
Avery Bradley was crucial in both of those W’s (& lead the team in +/- in both games).
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) July 3, 2020
Bradley has chosen not to join his teammates for the league’s resumption of the 2019-20 season, citing health concerns related to the coronavirus as a key reason for his decision.
The overall numbers compiled by Bradley over the 2019-20 season might not seem like his presence will be missed, with averages of 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
However, in victories over the Milwaukee Bucks on March 6 and Los Angeles Clippers on March 8, Bradley was invaluable.
Against the Bucks, Bradley finished with a plus/minus of plus-23, which means that during his time on the court, the Lakers outscored the Bucks by 23 points. In that game, the Lakers emerged with a 113-103 victory, despite Bradley only scoring two points.
In the Clippers game, Bradley was much more prolific on the scoring end, delivering 24 points in the 112-103 win, while finishing with a team-high plus/minus of plus-13.
Those two victories are noteworthy because the Clippers are currently the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and the Bucks are the No. 1 seed in the East.
The Lakers could very likely see the Clippers in the conference championship and the Bucks in the 2020 NBA Finals.
Of course, the Lakers will still have the imposing duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis when games resume, which provides them a solid opportunity to capture their first NBA title in a decade.
Still, if the Lakers end up falling short, not having Bradley in their lineup could end up being a factor in their demise.
