The Los Angeles Lakers will proceed without LeBron James during their upcoming clash with the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday; however, the situation doesn’t appear to be profoundly alarming. As indicated by ESPN, James has been declared inactive for Sunday’s game as a measure to manage a foot ailment.
This decision arises as the Lakers are scheduled to compete on consecutive days.
James, who was absent from the team’s initial 14 contests due to a bout of sciatica, has demonstrated commendable performance since his return, yet has not participated in games on back-to-back days. The Lakers’ choice to rest James on Sunday may constitute a facet of the 40-year-old’s recuperation strategy. Alternatively, the Lakers might simply be affording James a day of respite to ensure he is revitalized for Monday’s encounter against the Phoenix Suns.
[Acquire further Lakers updates: Los Angeles team feed]
The latter explanation holds plausibility, given that the Lakers may not necessitate James’s involvement to overcome the 3-17 Pelicans. The Suns, boasting a 12-9 record, present a more formidable challenge. Having James available for that particular game could prove pivotal for the Lakers.
James has experienced a slight dip in his statistical output during his initial four appearances of the regular season. The 23-year veteran is presently averaging a career-low of 16.5 points across these four games. Nevertheless, with Luka Dončić showcasing exceptional performance and Austin Reaves making substantial strides forward, the Lakers haven’t relied on James to bear the entirety of the offensive responsibility. His field-goal attempts have decreased to a career-low of 6.5 thus far, suggesting that he may still possess considerable reserves of energy, but has not yet felt the need to assert dominance in games.
Furthermore, a sample size of four games is exceedingly limited, and James did accumulate 25 points in one of those contests, so there is currently no rationale for apprehension.
With Dončić, Reaves, and now James in the mix, the Lakers currently hold a 14-4 record, securing them the second position in the Western Conference. Should the team sustain this level of performance, James may have one final championship endeavor remaining before he decides to retire.
The precise timing of this event remains uncertain. Despite his advanced age, James has not issued any announcements pertaining to retirement. For the current season, at the very least, he is dedicated to guiding the Lakers toward another championship triumph.
