By Evan Schmeizer
LeBron James took his teams to the NBA Finals for eight consecutive seasons from 2010-2018. In his first year with the Los Angeles Lakers, the three-time champion failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time since the 2004-05 season. James has drawn comparisons to the great Michael Jordan as the world’s best player for over a decade. I am here to tell you though, that the NBA does not need James in the playoffs this year.
Don’t worry LeBron apologists he’ll be back in the spotlight next year. He’ll be healthy, and the Lakers have room for two max contracts along with their lottery pick.
This is still the same team that started 20-14 before James went down with the strained groin.
Why are these playoffs exciting? As I am writing this piece, Warriors center Demarcus Cousins just went down with a left quad injury. While their all-stars Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are still terrific, this Warriors team is shaky as it seeks a three-peat. Draymond Green had no business being an all-star this year given his physical decline. Andre Iguodala is old, Shawn Livingston is old and the rest of their bench is terrible.
The Warriors face stiff competition out West in the Rockets and Thunder. No, I did not forget Denver. The Warriors beat the Nuggets three times by over 20 points on average this season. Rockets guard, James Harden rewrote the record books from a scoring perspective and Chris Paul is healthy and playing well. We are only a year removed from Paul leading Houston to a 3-2 lead over Golden State in the Western Conference Finals. Don’t believe me? Watch some tape! As for the Thunder, Paul George averaged 28 points per game, Russell Westbrook averaged another triple double and Steven Adams is a brick wall offensive rebounding machine.
As for the East, the Bucks have been the best team in the league, led by league MVP candidate, Giannis Antetokounmpo. 2014 NBA Finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard has made the Raptors relevant if Kyle Lowry can do literally anything in the playoffs. He never does, so I have my doubts. The 76ers sport one of the two best starting lineups in the league, led by the most dominant (and injury prone) big man in the league, Joel Embiid.
As for the Celtics, Kyrie Irving is a champion and a superstar and he is surrounded by a talented squad that was one game away from defeating James’ Cavaliers to advance to the Finals a year ago.
So where were we? Oh yeah…LeBron James is not in the playoffs this year, and that’s okay.