LeBron James is back in a familiar position. The 41-year-old superstar has become the primary option for the Lakers following season-ending injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. And he isn’t complaining.
Just weeks ago, James had settled into a new rhythm. He voluntarily became the team’s third option, letting Doncic and Reaves run the offense. The Lakers went on a 16-2 run. Doncic played at an MVP level, averaging 37.5 points in March. Reaves put up a career-high 23.3 points per game. Then everything changed.
In a 43-point loss to the Thunder, Doncic suffered a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Reaves strained his left oblique. Both are expected to miss the remainder of the regular season and potentially the start of the playoffs.
After the Lakers clinched home-court advantage with a win over the Suns, James reflected on the shift. “I had to tap back into a role that I’ve been accustomed to in the past,” he said. “Circumstances have put me back in”.
The numbers back him up. In a win over the Warriors without Doncic and Reaves, James dropped 26 points, 11 assists, and 7 rebounds . He followed that with 28 points and 10 assists against Phoenix. “I did 28 high efficiency plus 10 assists,” he noted. “Sounds pretty cool. Sounds pretty good”.
James has been careful not to dismiss what’s missing. When the Lakers without Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves took the floor, he acknowledged the void. “This current iteration of the group is all we have right now,” he said after a win over Golden State. “In the back of our minds, front of our minds and side, we’re still thinking about Luka and Austin Reaves”.
The Lakers enter the playoffs as the No. 4 seed. James now faces a 60.8-point scoring hole left by his two injured teammates . But he isn’t panicking. “I’m tired as hell now,” he admitted after the Suns game. “But when the game called for me to be in action tonight… I’m looking forward to it”
