The Los Angeles Lakers are facing a LeBron James–Luka Dončić dilemma after the NBA All-Star break, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
“I’m told that LeBron James will be re-evaluated later today, and there is optimism that he can be able to play in at least one of the next two games against Charlotte at home on Wednesday or Thursday in Portland,” Charania said on “NBA Today” on Tuesday, Feb. 18. “But what the Lakers are weighing here is, on one hand, the importance of the Luka Dončić-LeBron James chemistry and what that will signify for the second half of the NBA season.
“But also the other side of it is weighing potentially sitting LeBron James against these two lesser opponents in Charlotte and Portland, and as opposed to him playing, they could be looking at nine days of total rest between last Wednesday’s game in Utah and Saturday night’s game against the Denver Nuggets.”
The Lakers saw the benefits of an extended rest for James earlier in the season. James was revitalized by an eight-day rest in December.
In 25 games since he returned from that long rest to address a sore left foot, James averaged 25.5 points, 8.8 assists and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 53.5% from the floor and 42.9% from the 3-point line — a marked improvement from his 49.5% overall shooting and 35.9% from beyond the arc in his first 23 games of the season.
LeBron James Hopeful to Play vs. Hornets, Blazers
James said before the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday that he was hopeful he could play for the Lakers’ back-to-back games this week.
“I hope to be available on Wednesday,” James told reporters. “We have to have a makeup game. So, I am headed back to LA [Sunday night]. There will be no vacation for me.”
James underscored the importance of the second half of the season for the Lakers, who are currently fifth in the West with a 32-20 record.
“It’s a big stretch for us,” James continued.
Lakers Championship Odds Jumped Post-Luka Doncic Trade
The Lakers are tied with their crosstown rivals Clippers for the fifth-strongest remaining schedule, per Tankathon.
Their remaining schedule includes two games against the No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder, three against the No. 3 Nuggets, two against the No. 4 Houston Rockets and one each against the East’s No. 3 New York Knicks, No. 2 Memphis Grizzlies and the defending champion Boston Celtics, the No. 2 in the East.
The Lakers have jumped to the sixth-best odds to win the championship this season after they acquired Doncic in the most shocking trade in NBA history. FanDuel, one of the best sports betting sites, has the Lakers at +1800 behind the Celtics (+175), Thunder (+200), Cleveland Cavaliers (+900), Nuggets (+1300) and the Knicks (+1400). The Lakers started the season at +4000.
“With 30 games left and us trying to make a playoff push in the wild, wild west, I feel like it’s important for me to take care of myself and understand what’s coming on,” James said of his decision to skip what would have been his 21st NBA All-Star Game.
“I don’t want to say it’s maintenance — well, it is maintenance, but at the same time, it’s like, I have to look out for myself when it comes to this injury that I’ve been dealing with for years,” he added.
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