The Los Angeles Lakers are increasingly proving they don’t necessarily need LeBron James on the floor to find the win column. With Sunday’s 110-97 victory over the New York Knicks, Los Angeles improved to a remarkable 9-2 record this season in games where Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves play without James.
The lopsided success rate has ignited a firestorm of conversation across the NBA media landscape regarding whether the Lakers’ championship ceiling is actually higher with a younger, more streamlined rotation.
On the latest episode of the Bill Simmons Podcast, analysts Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe dove into the statistics that are currently polarizing the Lakers’ fan base. “Nine and two without LeBron… is a record that will be brought up over and over again,” Simmons noted.
I just like when it’s Luka and Reaves. Just remove LeBron out of it. I think that’s the foundation of a really good team because you could build the right team around those two guys.
Zach Lowe took the comparison a step further, contrasting James’ current situation with the “un-benchable” nature of past legends. “You know who never had a record like that when they were injured? Michael Jordan. That never happened to Michael Jordan.”
Lakers injury report and Sunday’s win
James was a late scratch for Sunday’s matinee at Madison Square Garden. Per a sideline report from Malika Andrews, the 41-year-old is currently managing a left elbow contusion alongside left foot arthritis.
While the Lakers have listed him as day-to-day, the team’s performance in his absence suggests they can afford to be patient with his recovery. Even with his intermittent availability, James continues to produce elite counting stats when he is on the floor:
- Category | Season Average |
- Minutes | 33.1 |
- Points | 21.4 |
- Field Goal % | 50.4% |
- Rebounds | 5.6 |
- Assists | 7.0 |
What’s next for LeBron and the Lakers?
The Lakers (and the trending 9-2 narrative) will face a significant test Tuesday night when they travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves.
With James’ status still uncertain, the spotlight remains firmly on the Doncic-Reaves backcourt to see if they can maintain their winning pace against one of the West’s elite defenses.
- Matchup: Lakers vs. Timberwolves
- Time: Tuesday, March 10 | 11 PM EST
- Broadcast: NBC and Peacock
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