Doncic Takes Charge Against Los Angeles Lakers in Absence of LeBron James
Amidst the uncertainty surrounding LeBron James’ injury, who is expected to be sidelined at the start of the season due to sciatica, attention is focused on Luka Doncic and his role within the Los Angeles Lakers.The Lakers, without James and Doncic, have yet to achieve victories in the preseason, with losses against the Phoenix Suns and the Golden State Warriors. Lakers coach JJ Redick has not yet confirmed Doncic’s participation in the upcoming game against the Warriors. The team prepares for a series of preseason games, including a game against the Suns and another against the Dallas Mavericks. Doncic, after participating in the EuroBasket with Slovenia, has had a controlled workload to avoid injuries. Redick faces the challenge of filling the void left by James, who will be out for three to four weeks. The initial lineup, without James, will include Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Deandre Ayton. Redick will evaluate the options for the two remaining positions, considering Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and the new signings Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart. Smart, recovering from an Achilles tendinopathy, will play against the Warriors. Redick contemplates different lineups, one with James and one without him. Doncic and James have maintained communication during training, which has strengthened the team’s chemistry. James’ voice from the bench will be key while he recovers.“I don’t see it that way. I just want to play basketball. If I do less, if I do more, whatever it takes to get a win,” Doncic commented.
Luka Doncic
“It’s a big change. He’s a great player. He can help us a lot. But at the end of the day, our mentality has to be ‘next man up.’ We have a group of guys who have been practicing and we hope LeBron can join us as soon as possible. Obviously, we’re going to need him. But our mentality has to be ‘next man up.’ That’s it,” Doncic said.
Luka Doncic
