After the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James were eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs last season, the only first-round playoff exit of James' career, expectations grew heading into the fresh 2021-22 season. However, Los Angeles has gotten out of the gates slowly to begin their campaign, managing to win just two of the team's first five games.
Following the Lakers' most recent loss that saw them blow a 26-point lead to the youngest team in the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder, ESPN analyst Jay Williams went on First Take to highlight some of the Lakers' issues being recognized across the league and to shed light on a new mentality other young players are beginning to associate with the team.
"I've had some conversations over the last several days with some younger players in the league, which is kind of shocking to me because I've never heard people say this about a LeBron James team, where they don't find the Lakers intimidating, at all," Williams stressed on the show. "People are actually excited about playing this team... I think there's a level of players looking at them and saying, 'we don't really respect the Lakers, even though they've got a championship, this team is older, they don't play with a sense of urgency, and yeah they can turn it on here and there, but maybe they won't'."
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Last year, injuries plagued Los Angeles, as LeBron and Anthony Davis were both noticeably hampered in their first round exit to the Phoenix Suns. This year, they've already struggled with injury, as LeBron has missed the last two games with a sore right ankle. Bad luck in the health department and a lack of respect from their opponents doesn't bode well for this veteran Lakers' squad, and they have much to prove before they reestablish themselves as true championship contenders.
However today, LeBron James is listed as 'probable' as the Lakers prepare to take on the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers, at home in the Staples Center.
Check out Jay Williams' First Take response, below: