The Lakers win to the beat of Doncic with LeBron out
Back-to-back for the purple and gold in Los Angeles with rest for the 40-year-old veteran
The Los Angeles Lakers were without LeBron James in the 133-121 victory against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday due to managing discomfort in his left foot. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves led the way for JJ Redick's team.
James, 40, missed the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica, a nerve issue affecting the lower back that radiates down the right side of the body. The four-time NBA MVP also sat out multiple games last season with discomfort in that same foot.
"It's an injury he's dealt with before," explained Lakers coach JJ Redick before the game. "It's something we've had to manage. With the back-to-back and the fact that he's essentially coming out of his own preseason—these last ten days have been his preseason—we prefer to be cautious."
The matchup with the Pelicans was the first of a back-to-back for the Lakers, who will host the Phoenix Suns on Monday. James' agent and CEO of Klutch Sports, Rich Paul, told ESPN last week that he prefers the player to avoid back-to-back games to preserve his physical condition in his 23rd NBA season.
Redick stated that the Lakers do not rule out James participating in such sequences in the future. After completing this series against the Pelicans and Suns, the team has ten more back-to-backs on the schedule. "We will work towards him being able to play the back-to-backs," Redick affirmed. "That's the goal. Each will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis; that's how the NBA operates now. But we want him to play them, and he does too. So, we will move towards that."
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James averages 16.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 5.0 rebounds in four games this season since returning from sciatica. The Lakers have won all four games he's been available for.
The team was also without Marcus Smart, out for a second consecutive game due to back spasms. With James and Smart absent, Gabe Vincent, who started the first three games of the season, returned to the starting lineup.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los Lakers ganan al son de Doncic con LeBron out
