"I do not think the Warriors have an answer for LeBron James" - Nick Wright backs a 'healthy' LA Lakers side in potential match-up vs Golden State Warriors

Writing off LeBron James has never been a smart choice, but the NBA community is starting to lose hope in his ability to lead the LA Lakers to another championship.

James' absence has been a major area of concern for the team. This is why him being cleared to play a few days after going into the league's health and safety protocol was great news for the Lakers.

Following the announcement of James' return, the four-member cast of First Things First got together to speak on how he impacts the Lakers. Chris Broussard, Nick Wright, Jenna Wolfe and Kevin Wildes also tried to break down how the Lakers can match up against the other heavyweights in the West.

Broussard went on to make an analogy, calling the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns two beautiful flowers that have blossomed out of the Western Conference. He also pointed out the Lakers' weaknesses, which have been their defense and LeBron James' increased three-point attempts.

However, Broussard still gave the Lakers a minor chance of coming out of the West if Anthony Davis is at his best. Regardless, he believes the Lakers are nowhere close to being the favorites.

Nick Wright had something to say on the matter, stating that while they shouldn't be considered the favorites, they remain a big threat.

"Right now they don't deserve to be considered the favorites. But I do think they deserve to be considered the biggest threat to Phoenix, bigger than even Golden State."

He added:

"I still think if we got a Warriors-Lakers matchup in Round 2, I like the Lakers. I do not think the Warriors have an answer for Anthony Davis, and I do not think the Warriors have an answer for LeBron James."

While it is clear that the Suns and Warriors are the two best teams in the West, having LeBron James on the roster makes the Lakers a threat. Regardless of how poorly the team have been performing, when it comes down to it, they can put together a run that would silence the doubters.

But before that, there is a lot the Lakers need to figure out if they are to remain championship contenders.

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LeBron James' return was not enough to lead the Lakers to a victory over the LA Clippers

Paul George #13 and Reggie Jackson #1 of the LA Clippers scramble back on defense as LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball.

LeBron James' availability following the false positive of his COVID-19 test result was good news for the Lakers who were scheduled to face off in the Battle of LA. Unfortunately for the Purple and Gold, they lost the matchup for the fourth consecutive time.

Luke Kennard was the star of the show, knocking down two dagger three-pointers to take the game out of the Lakers' reach late in the game. James did not have the best game either and the margin of defeat could have been a lot more if it was not for Malik Monk's second-half takeover.

The Lakers did not lead at any point in the game, giving up several chances to do so with under five minutes left in the fourth quarter. The game ended with a 119-115 score in favor of the Clippers.

LeBron James struggled again from beyond the arc, making just two of eight attempts. He finished the game with 23 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two steals.

There is still a lot the Lakers need to figure out if they are to advance from the West. They currently sit in the play-in spot with a 12-12 record and are eight games behind the top-seeded Warriors.