NBA: 7 teams that must flip the switch as the push toward the playoffs approaches

Los Angeles Lakers

It’s unfortunate that LeBron James is expected to miss multiple weeks because the Los Angeles Lakers were looking like a team that was perhaps going to make noise in the West playoffs. Even though that can still happen, that will likely require the non-LeBron Lakers to make a huge jump over the last few weeks of the season (or at least until LeBron returns).

The Lakers will need to figure out how to flip the switch and win games without LeBron over the next few weeks. Right now, the Lakers sitting in the 11th seed of the Western Conference. They have work to do if they even want to just qualify for the Play-In Tournament in the West. Quite frankly, that has to be the goal with the uncertainty revolving around LeBron’s availability.

And the Lakers have the talent to make a strong push. Anthony Davis needs to put the team on his shoulders and carry them to the finish line. Whether or not he’s able to do that remains to be seen, but it could ultimately decide this team’s playoff fate this season.