Fans knew they were in for a long night when the Los Angeles Lakers listed LeBron James as unavailable to play against the Brooklyn Nets. A team already struggling with a lack of big men was going to face plenty of challenges against a relatively healthy team without one of their best players.
The fact that the Lakers managed to keep the final score close despite not having most of their big defenders suiting up is already commendable. However, a lack of communication on defense and an off night for some players cost the Purple and Gold a big W.
While a groin strain isn’t a serious injury, it can be a big deal when you’re talking about a 40-year-old player who continues to defy logic with his play.
While the King is focused on getting back on track, Bill Simmons decided that this was the right time to call out Rob Pelinka and company for their moves at the trade deadline.
Bill Simmons blames the Los Angeles Lakers for LeBron James’ injury
It was clear from LeBron’s language after the Luka Doncic trade that the future Hall of Famer felt the need to step up to make Luka’s transition to the Purple and Gold easier.
His all-around play after the massive move had people raving about his vintage performances. However, the popular sports media personality that it was only a matter of time before the King’s body started acting up.
Per Basketball Network’s Shane Garry Acedera:
“This is the problem when you’re overcompensating for these other things that you are missing,” said Simmons. “You can fly around, and you can look good in a Thursday night game, but it’s not sustainable. You can’t put that kind of rebound and defense pressure on LeBron.”
James put on a show since the Doncic-AD trade, averaging 28.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks on 53%/40%/78% shooting splits.
These numbers would have made sense if the Lakers were deep into playoff basketball, but there’s still a full month of the regular season left.
Maybe LeBron wouldn’t have strained himself that much if the Lakers didn’t pull out of the Mark Williams trade. It didn’t help that many of the players who could stand in as bigs for the Lakers were sidelined alongside James during the Nets game.
Fortunately for them, the Akron, OH native doesn’t mind the grind and feels like it’s only a matter of time before he returns to the court.
For More Content
Reach me on social media @ebbydancel for questions and opportunities. Click here for more content about your favorite NBA, WNBA, and college basketball teams!
