LeBron James will miss the Los Angeles Lakers’ season opener due to sciatica.
LeBron James missed the Los Angeles Lakers’ season opener against the Golden State Warriors and will be sidelined for three to four weeks.
James had hoped to be ready for the start of the season, but this setback will sideline him for the first month of the season.
With James out, Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves will need to step up.
James missing the first game of the season is a big blow for the Lakers, but one NBA insider believes it could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Chris Mannix talked about how James missing the season opener increases the Lakers’ chances of winning a title next year.
“I think the silver lining, though, is that the Lakers don’t want him to play that much anyway.
“Just like last year, you can’t maintain those numbers this season. 70 games, 35 minutes per game. (You) can’t do that and expect some success.”
“I think there’s an argument for the Lakers that keeping him out of games in October and November and making it easier for him to come back into the season before Christmas is to give them a better chance of getting something in May and June. That might be more beneficial for them.”
Luka Doncic made his preseason debut against the Phoenix Suns and looked sharp.
He had 25 points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes.
Doncic will be doing a lot of the heavy lifting in James’ absence, which could lead to him getting off to a great start to the season.
If Doncic can play at an MVP level, the Lakers should be able to survive James’ absence.