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LeBron James could be the savior for the Los Angeles Lakers in their first playoff series against the Houston Rockets.

LeBron James isn’t the kind of player who’s used to being an underdog, but that’s the position the Los Angeles Lakers are in going into their first round playoff series with the Houston Rockets.

Experts just aren’t giving the Lakers a chance against the Rockets. In a piece published on Monday, April 13, John Schuhmann of the NBA’s official website has the Rockets taking the series in five, saying that Houston would even “be a legit pick to win this series if the Lakers were healthy.”

Now, one Los Angeles Lakers beat writer has a truly interesting take on this series. He sees James being the savior for the Lakers and, in turn, Los Angeles “begging” him to stay after the series wraps up.

Los Angeles Lakers Could Rely Heavily on LeBron James to Pull Off Upset Over Houston Rockets

In a Monday, April 13 piece for Lake Show Life, Svyatoslav Rovenchuk says that this series could solidify James’ return to the team next season. “Realistically, the situation between the Lakers and James should already be trending toward a reunion,” he says in the piece. “The other possible suitors apart from Los Angeles are not overwhelmingly strong.”

So, if James pulls off a “vintage series” that takes the Lakers to the second round, that “would work heavily in favor of sealing the deal for this marriage to continue in a potential 24th season for LeBron,” Rovenchuk says.

LeBron is peaking just at the right time in the season. In the final game of the regular season against the Utah Jazz, James appeared only in the first half of the game, and in just 17 minutes, he wrapped up with 18 points, six assists and four rebounds, according to NBA research. This guy just doesn’t age, right? If he has a similar high-octane performance against Houston, he’ll be back in Los Angeles for another year.

“If the Lakers survive thanks to LeBron, it will be one of those moments that you tell your grandkids about,” Rovenchuk adds. “It will also serve as a clear identifier of the instance when all doubt was erased about him and Los Angeles deciding to run it back one more time.”

Lakers vs. Rockets in the Playoffs: Why Are the Houston Rockets Favored?

So, what makes Houston such a favorite against Los Angeles? The Rockets are favorites in this series simply because of the stats and research. Sure, they should win, but that doesn’t mean they will win. Sports are about more than numbers. They’re about spontaneity and heart.

“Statistically, Houston has been the much better team, outscoring opponents by 5.4 points per 100 possessions, the league’s sixth best mark and more than three times better than the Lakers’ differential, plus-1.5 per 100,” Schuhmann of the NBA’s site says. “It’s a very similar situation as last year, when the Lakers were the 3 seed and lost to the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, who had the much better point differential in the regular season.”

So, while the numbers favor the Houston Rockets, it’s not enough to consider this to be an easy win for the team. This series is absolutely winnable for the Lakers, and that’s why James could come in and push them over the edge.