Lakers followers may need raised a few eyebrows final season when the NBA introduced the 65-game requirement for postseason awards. To that time, neither LeBron James nor Anthony Davis had performed in 65 video games for the Lakers in a single season.
This season, although, each have skilled their greatest stretch of well being for both participant whereas donning the purple and gold. Friday’s contest against the Pacers marked the sixty fifth game — 64 common season video games and one In-Season Tournament (IST) remaining — for LeBron whereas AD had crossed that threshold weeks prior.
As a end result, each are actually eligible for postseason awards.
LeBron James has reached the 65-game standards.He is now eligible for postseason honors.James has been named All-NBA 19 seasons in a row.This is the primary time James and Anthony Davis have performed 65+ video games collectively in a single season.— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) March 29, 2024
AD’s 69 video games this season are probably the most he’s performed not simply as a Laker however probably the most since his 2017-18 season. Likewise, LeBron performed 67 video games in his second season with the Lakers, a whole he’ll possible surpass this season.
Both are prone to earn awards this season as their availability has, unsurprisingly, resulted in spectacular seasons. For LeBron, it’s arguably probably the most environment friendly scoring season of his Lakers profession whereas AD is having his most dominant and routinely impactful season in Los Angeles.
Davis will obtain consideration for Defensive Player of the Year however is actually an underdog in that race. Still, his dominant efficiency on that finish goes to, on the very least, earn him a spot on the All-Defense workforce.
Both gamers are prone to additionally earn spots on All-NBA groups. Davis hasn’t earned a spot on the record of elites within the league because the 2019-20 season and has solely earned All-NBA honors 4 occasions.
LeBron, although, has been a fixture on these groups, as one would possibly anticipate. The solely time he hasn’t made an All-NBA workforce in his profession was his rookie season.
Had the Lakers been more constant or translated their IST kind to the common season, one or each gamers would possible be in MVP conversations, too. And to that time, LeBron was named MVP of the IST after the Lakers victory over the Pacers.
While 65 video games is a pretty arbitrary quantity, for the Lakers, it signifies the very best well being LeBron and AD have had collectively as teammates, which ought to give followers optimism for their postseason hopes.
You can observe Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.