Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves lead LeBron-less Lakers

As long as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are taking part in, the Lakers always stand a good probability of successful — even if LeBron James is out.

That proved to be the case yet again Sunday evening at Crypto.com Arena as the Lakers rolled over the injury-depleted New Orleans Pelicans 133-121 with James out managing a left foot injury.

The Lakers (15-4) received their seventh straight sport behind Doncic’s 34 factors, 12 rebounds and seven assists and Reaves’ 33 factors and eight assists.

“I don’t know what made it special, but I think we’re just good basketball players,” said Doncic about his success taking part in alongside Reaves.

The Lakers have a sport Monday against the visiting Phoenix Suns, but it’s unclear if James will play.

James missed the first 14 video games of this season with sciatica and has performed in just 4 video games. Left foot injury management also saved him out of some video games last season.

“It’s something we’ve had to manage,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “Given the back-to-back and the fact that he’s basically just coming off his training camp — this has been his training camp over the last 10 days or so — [we’re] just being cautious.”

With James in his twenty third NBA marketing campaign at age 40, it stays to be seen how many back-to-back video games he will play this season. The Lakers have 10 units left after Monday.

“No, we’re going to build him up, hopefully, to be able to play in back-to-backs,” Redick said. “That’s the goal. But you are correct. Every back-to-back is a case-by-case. That’s just the reality of the NBA right now. But we want him to be able to play in back-to-backs. So does he. So, we’re going to work toward that.”

The 15-4 Lakers have 63 regular-season video games left, which means that James can miss only two more if he desires to attain the NBA minimal of 65 video games that gamers need to seem in to earn postseason awards. James has made a league-record 21 straight All-NBA groups.

Redick said particular person postseason awards have “never come up as something that’s important” in his discussions with James.

“I want all my guys to get whatever award they deserve,” Redick said. “Of course, I want, you know, Austin, Luka, LeBron, like whoever, I want them to get awards. That’s great for them, but … the list of things that you have to worry about and think about as a player and coach, it’s so far down the list.”

The Lakers scored 77 factors in the first half against New Orleans, tying the most factors they’ve scored in any half this season, and they scored 46 factors in the first quarter, the most they’ve scored in any body this season.

It figured to be an simple evening for the Lakers with the Pelicans (3-18) lacking starters and key function gamers, including Zion Williamson, who was managing a left hamstring injury.

“We wanted to play with the right intent,” Redick said. “Thought we did that.”

Even so, Lakers middle Deandre Ayton was a drive with 22 factors and 12 rebounds.

Late in the fourth quarter, however, Ayton limped to the bench after bumping his proper knee. But Ayton, who missed one sport with a proper knee contusion earlier this season, said he’ll be out there to play against the Suns, his former group.

“…Kind of tweaked my little collision I had the other day in Utah,” Ayton said. “JJ said he was going to sub me out regardless. So, it was good timing. It cooled down after the game so I’m good now.”

Lakers guard Marcus Smart missed his second straight sport with back spasms.