Up till Saturday, the Lakers had been having fun with a honeymoon period after acquiring Luka Doncic. Most followers and media had been viewing Los Angeles because the clear winner of essentially the most stunning commerce in NBA historical past.
And despite the fact that sending Anthony Davis, 32, to Dallas for Doncic, 26, was extra concerning the future than simply the current, the Lakers had been trying like critical contenders this season.
However then Saturday occurred. On Saturday, the Lakers did not simply lose to the rival Boston Celtics, in addition they misplaced LeBron James. After that loss, the Lakers realized they might be with out the NBA legend for one to 2 weeks. As of Wednesday, James, who was with the group on their present street journey, returned to Los Angeles for treatment.
Previous to the harm, James had surpassed 30 points in two of Los Angeles’ earlier three video games and the group had received eight of its final 9 with James within the lineup.
Creating concern about how a lot James’ absence will damage the Lakers, they’re now 0-2 with out the NBA’s all-time main scorer. And Thursday night time’s blowout loss to Milwaukee actually stands out because the worst case state of affairs for the Lakers for nevertheless lengthy James is out.
Los Angeles fell 126-106 to a Bucks group that had misplaced three straight getting into the day, trailing all through the sport. It misplaced by 20 factors regardless of an enormous efficiency from Doncic, too.
Doncic scored 45 factors in 36 minutes whereas registering a double-double with 11 rebounds and three assists. Austin Reaves posted 28 factors in the identical period of time with eight boards and three assists of his personal.
Doncic stepped up and Reaves shot 58.8% from the sector, giving his group about as a lot because it might ask of him, and it finally did not matter.
At the very least when the Lakers misplaced 111-108 to the Nets of their first recreation since James’ analysis, they had been way more aggressive and did not squander as a lot of an enormous recreation from anybody. Doncic had a triple-double, however he solely scored 22 factors. Reaves, however, had 17. Gabe Vincent led the Lakers in scoring in that recreation with 24.
Nonetheless, the Lakers’ depth was lacking in motion in Milwaukee they usually ended up utterly losing a 45-point exhibiting from Doncic, billed to be the subsequent Laker nice and finally information the franchise into the post-LeBron period.
As Los Angeles now sits within the fourth spot within the Western Convention, it is making an attempt to hold on to a slim one-game lead over Houston and might even really feel the Warriors surging up the standings as they’ve been red-hot since including Jimmy Butler.
It is now honest to marvel the place the Lakers can be when James returns and if his absence may have a drastic impression on their scenario for the remainder of this season, particularly when their upcoming schedule.
The Lakers will now journey to Denver for a matchup with Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets on Friday night time.
Then, Los Angeles will get a bit break when it welcomes the practice wreck that is been the Suns to Crypto.com Enviornment on Sunday and host the harm riddled Spurs on Monday, however that break will not final lengthy as it’ll see the Bucks and Nuggets once more throughout the subsequent week.
