Veteran NBA point guard Austin Rivers noticed how good-looking LeBron James and Anthony Davis appeared in light of Team USA’s exhibition matches this month. Rivers believes that this summer’s performance shows the Lakers can still contend in the West and win a championship.
Rivers said, “I’m watchin’ this USA Basketball, right, and I’ve been watchin’ all their games close, and it doesn’t take a trained eye to notice who have been the two best players, the most impactful, on USA Basketball. Granted, Kevin Durant has not played. So I’ll take that into account, but, so far, the two best players are two Lakers players. LeBron James and Anthony Davis, right?”
He added, “So, when you start thinkin’ about that, I’m sitting here watching this game, thinking, ‘Why are the Lakers so far away — or why does it feel that way?’ And I guess J.J. Redick is right. They asked him, ‘How far away are you?’ He said, ‘We’re not far. We are a piece or two away from competing.’ Maybe he is the piece. They got the new coach, they got new staff, etc… All I’ve heard this past year is how the door for LeBron James and winning championships in Los Angeles is closed, and the more I watch USA Basketball, I just can’t disagree any more.”
Austin Rivers, 31, is an 11-year NBA veteran who has played point guard for several clubs. Although Rivers never saw prison time with the Lakers, his tenure with the Clippers from 2014 to 2018 gave him an insight into their way of life. He is more aware than most of the pressure to perform well in every situation and the pressure that comes with being a Laker.
LeBron James’s Tenure With The Lakers Hasn’t Met Expectations
Team USA is participating in its most recent Olympic competition this summer. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the main draws. They have emerged as the team’s two top players and have dominated the opposition. However, it’s unclear if Team USA will win the gold due to the Lakers duo’s outstanding play. It’s indisputable that their prospects of winning the championship have been called into doubt.
In recent years, the Lakers haven’t seemed like a club that prioritizes winning. However, they were on a fast track to collapse before winning the title in 2020. The Lakers’ confidence in their ability to compete against the Western Conference’s titans was waning heading into the next season after they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
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LeBron James, however, is still making the Lakers relevant at 39. His performance for Team USA this summer is evidence that he has enough left in the tank. Newcomers like Dalton Knecht, Bronny James, and new head coach JJ Redick are believed to help give the Lakers the required advantage.
