So long as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are enjoying, the Lakers at all times stand an excellent likelihood of successful — even when LeBron James is out.
That proved to be the case but once more Sunday night time at Crypto.com Enviornment because the Lakers rolled over the injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans 133-121 with James out managing a left foot damage.
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 towards 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 damage administration additionally stored him out of some video games final season.
“It’s one thing we’ve needed to handle,” Lakers coach JJ Redick stated. “Given the back-to-back and the truth that he’s principally simply coming off his coaching camp — this has been his coaching camp over the past 10 days or so — [we’re] simply 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 construct him up, hopefully, to have the ability to play in back-to-backs,” Redick stated. “That’s the objective. However you’re right. Each back-to-back is a case-by-case. That’s simply the truth of the NBA proper now. However we wish him to have the ability to play in back-to-backs. So does he. So, we’re going to work towards 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 succeed in 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 “by no means come up as one thing that’s necessary” in his discussions with James.
“I would like all my guys to get no matter award they deserve,” Redick stated. “In fact, I would like, , Austin, Luka, LeBron, like whoever, I would like them to get awards. That’s nice for them, however … the record of issues that it’s important to fear about and take into consideration as a participant and coach, it’s thus far down the record.”
The Lakers scored 77 factors within the first half towards 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 night time 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 damage.
Lakers guard Marcus Sensible missed his second straight sport with again spasms.
