In the first game without guards, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Los Angeles Lakers had to rely on LeBron James. The 41-year-old easily turned back the clock and dropped a near triple-double of 30 points, 9 rebounds, and 15 assists. During this performance, he even revealed his true feelings about taking a back seat.
“I can still do this sh–, you know what I’m saying? I can still do this sh–,” LeBron said to a fan. “They put me on the shelf, ya know.” The incident transpired in the third quarter after Bron assisted Jaxson Hayes for a layup. With 1:20 remaining, Khris Middleton conceded a shooting foul, and Hayes was on the charity stripe. While James was speaking, his expression wasn’t frustrated or irritated, but he smirked about being a third option for the team.
So, the game against the Mavericks looked like LeBron James was trying to prove he can still carry a team by himself. In the first half, the 22x All-Star started hot and already dropped 22 points and created NBA history with the help of Mavs rookie Cooper Flagg. After battling sciatica issues, which cost him the first month of the regular season and a few games off due to load management, the 41-year-old is still producing All-Star numbers this season.
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Averaging 20.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.1 assists on 51% shooting from the field is great, despite being a 41-year-old. But in March, he accepted the role of the third option. Coach JJ Redick had revealed, “The best thing for our team is being the third-highest-used player.” In March, the results were in the Lakers’ favor as they had a 15-2 record. But the numbers for LeBron James took a hit.
He was playing more off-ball than ever before, and his scoring decreased to 18.5 points for March. So, the performance against the Mavericks was a sign of him being a free bird, having more control than in recent times. But it seems that might have done more harm than good to the Lakers.
LeBron James remains questionable without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves
Since their last matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, their roster has fallen apart. Luka Doncic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain, Austin Reaves suffered a Grade 2 oblique injury, and Marcus Smart was already sidelined with a problematic ankle. The latest blow came before the Lakers-Thunder game on April 7.
In the injury report, LeBron James was downgraded to questionable because of left foot injury management. The Lakers superstar has been dealing with lingering arthritic issues in his left leg all season, and after a 30-point outing on Sunday, he might need rest. After all, the last week of the regular season is underway, and the playoffs start soon.
Despite having a tie-breaker over the Nuggets and Rockets, the Lakers don’t control their fate. Los Angeles still has to play 4 more games with AR and Doncic already ruled out for the season, and Marcus Smart out against the Thunder, the odds for the third spot are not in LeBron James and co.’s favor.
