Los Angeles Lakers: 3 keys for success in 2021 NBA Playoffs

1. Dennis Schröder needs to be special

The Lakers have something going into the 2021 playoffs they definitely didn’t have last year: A legitimate starting point guard.

Dennis Schröder has given LA a third scoring option, a capable facilitator to take the pressure off LeBron James and a stout defender. The German-born guard is averaging 15.4 points per game, third among Lakers. He’s behind James with 5.8 assists per game.

This hasn’t even been a career year for the player, but he’s made Los Angeles that much more dynamic. Twice missing time while under NBA health and safety protocol restrictions hasn’t helped.

Last year, Schröder averaged 17.3 points per game in the playoffs for the Thunder. However, he was cold from beyond the arc, hitting just 28.9 percent of his attempts. He didn’t quite make up for that with 3.6 assists per game.

The Lakers need Schröder to come ready to play at a high level, especially as James manages his injured ankle. The more LA can put the game on his shoulders, the less they will have to depend on their two hobbled stars.