So long as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are taking part in, the Lakers all the time stand a superb probability of successful — even when LeBron James is out.
That proved to be the case but once more Sunday evening at Crypto.com Area because the Lakers rolled over the injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans 133-121 with James out managing a left foot harm.
The Lakers (15-4) gained their seventh straight sport behind Doncic’s 34 factors, 12 rebounds and 7 assists and Reaves’ 33 factors and eight assists.
The Lakers have a sport Monday in opposition to the visiting Phoenix Suns, nevertheless it’s unclear if James will play.
James missed the primary 14 video games of this season with sciatica and has performed in simply 4 video games. Left foot harm administration additionally stored him out of some video games final season.
“It’s something we’ve had to manage,” Lakers coach JJ Redick stated. “Given the back-to-back and the fact that he’s basically just coming off his training camp — this has been his training camp over the last 10 days or so — [we’re] just being cautious.”
With James in his twenty third NBA marketing campaign at age 40, it stays to be seen what number of back-to-back video games he will play this season. The Lakers have 10 units left after Monday.
“No, we’re going to build him up, hopefully, to be able to play in back-to-backs,” Redick stated. “That’s the goal. But you are correct. Every back-to-back is a case-by-case. That’s just the reality of the NBA right now. But we want him to be able to play in back-to-backs. So does he. So, we’re going to work toward that.”
The 15-4 Lakers have 63 regular-season video games left, which means that James can miss solely two extra if he desires to achieve the NBA minimal of 65 video games that gamers want to seem in to earn postseason awards. James has made a league-record 21 straight All-NBA groups.
Redick stated particular person postseason awards have “never come up as something that’s important” in his discussions with James.
“I want all my guys to get whatever award they deserve,” Redick stated. “Of course, I want, you know, Austin, Luka, LeBron, like whoever, I want them to get awards. That’s great for them, but … the list of things that you have to worry about and think about as a player and coach, it’s so far down the list.”
The Lakers scored 77 factors within the first half in opposition to New Orleans, tying probably the most factors they’ve scored in any half this season, and so they scored 46 factors within the first quarter, probably the most they’ve scored in any body this season.
It figured to be a simple evening for the Lakers, who additionally received 22 factors and 12 rebounds from Deandre Ayton, with the Pelicans (3-18) lacking starters and key function gamers, together with Zion Williamson, who was managing a left hamstring harm.
Lakers guard Marcus Good missed his second straight sport with again spasms.
