LeBron James Carries the Lakers Past Rockets. How Long Before Anthony Davis Returns to Help?

Watching LeBron James these days is, from a basketball standpoint, a blessing. Seeing any player, let alone a 38-year old, post the kind of numbers he has over the last month or so is genuine fun. You can't love watching the NBA and appreciate incredible athletic achievement without finding this run incredible.

For Lakers fans, though, it's also a little uncomfortable. Because he is, unquestionably, putting out a tremendous amount of effort for the Lakers to to tread water while Anthony Davis remains sidelined. (The Lakers are currently 9-8 since Davis went down, which is pretty impressive given the other injuries the team has faced.) Is there a limit to this? At some point, does he hit a wall, where the production can't be sustained at this level? Does the body break down? If so, where exactly does that leave the team?

The same context that makes his play so engaging is what makes it unsettling.

How far are they from having a roster that can compete consistently with the big dogs in the West (not that there are that many this season), given what we've seen to this point? At four games under .500, the record isn't good, but the Lakers have beaten some good teams, and should/could have beaten a few more. Is every LeBron bucket a cry for help?

Meanwhile, it looks like Davis may not be back until close to the All Star break. That's at least 10 more games.

That's a long time for James to keep the team afloat on his own.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: LeBron James again goes off as the Lakers outlast the Rockets on the second night of a back-to-back.

SEGMENT 2: What is the emotional experience of watching LeBron play this way? It's reminiscent in some ways of Kobe in 2012-13, though not fully apples-to-apples.

SEGMENT 3: Can the Lakers keep afloat for another 10-15 games when Davis might return? Do they have to find some help in the interim?

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