Lakers: 3 reasons LeBron James can win his 5th championship in 2020-21

May 25, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts against the Phoenix Suns during game two of the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Phoenix Suns Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
May 25, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts against the Phoenix Suns during game two of the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at Phoenix Suns Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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LeBron James, Lakers
LeBron James, Lakers Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Reason No. 3 LeBron James and the Lakers can win a title: Chris Paul’s injury

Nothing opens the door for immediate success more in the NBA than a crucial injury to one of your opponent’s best players. That’s been the case in this series as Chris Paul is suffering from a shoulder injury that has hampered him significantly.

Since suffering this injury — classified as a contusion — in Game 1, Paul hasn’t been anything close to himself. In Game 2, he got up just five shots and scored six points, adding five assists and three rebounds. As for Game 3, it was a similar output: Paul scored seven points on 3-of-8 shooting from the floor. He was also -20 in a game the Suns lost by a 109-95 margin.

LeBron James is a top-two player in NBA history at worst by any measurement, but as he battles his own injured ankle and tries to play through it in these playoffs, this is a break of fortune (and misfortune for the Suns, to be sure) that he and the Lakers are going to need in order to make a deep run.

It’s a tough break for the Suns to have such a wonderful season derailed by a key injury, and then getting the honor of being first-round fodder for James and the Lakers, but “fair” doesn’t enter the equation in the NBA.