Lakers’ Strategy Following LeBron James’ Injury: How ‘Playing Hard and Defending Strong’ Can Shift Their Season

BOSTON — LeBron James made an impressive drive against Jaylen Brown, spinning and faking his way to a left-handed hook shot. This basket cut the Lakers’ deficit from 20 to just seven points, making it 92-85 with a little over seven minutes left in the game.

After a tough third quarter, where they scored only 13 points and let the Celtics score 29, the Lakers were making a comeback. The energy seemed to shift in their favor, but that quickly changed.

As LeBron prepared to get back on defense, he moved with noticeable discomfort. In the next play, he stepped aside as Brown made an easy layup. It was clear something was wrong. He raised his hand to signal the coaches, wanting to come out of the game.

The team called a timeout at 6:44 remaining. On the sideline, LeBron told Coach JJ Redick, “It’s my groin.” Redick remarked that he thought James was done for the night and started to plan for a game without him.

During the break, James attempted to stretch out his groin with help from trainer Mike Mancias, but the pain was too much. He ended up walking to the locker room and was later diagnosed with a left groin strain.

James acknowledged he might have pushed himself a bit too hard, saying, “I maybe extended it a little too much.”

Though the Lakers fought back, getting within four points on two occasions, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Brown were simply too good. The Celtics defeated the Lakers, breaking their eight-game winning streak, with a final score of 111-101. This loss put Los Angeles at 40-22, dropping them to third place in the Western Conference.

The main concern after the game was, of course, LeBron’s injury and how long he would be sidelined. Team sources hinted he might miss one to two weeks. James expressed some fears, recalling a past groin injury that cost him 17 games back in 2018. However, he reassured everyone that this injury wasn’t as serious, knocking on his locker for good luck.

Luka Dončić commented on groin injuries, saying they can be tough to recover from. Meanwhile, Coach Redick noted that Rui Hachimura would also be out for at least another week and Jaxson Hayes is sidelined too, leaving the Lakers without their starting frontcourt.

This timing couldn’t be worse for the Lakers, who are about to face the No. 2 Denver Nuggets twice over the next ten days. They end their current road trip in Brooklyn and then play in Milwaukee and Denver back-to-back. This stretch is key, as they’ll face three sets of back-to-backs after that.

The Lakers find themselves just behind the Nuggets and ahead of other teams in losses, making every game important as they pursue playoff positioning.

How will they manage without LeBron? Coach Redick believes focusing on defense is critical. The Lakers have had the best defense in the league since mid-January, and they will need that to win games while James is out.

There’s no easy way to replace LeBron, who’s been a huge part of the team, averaging 25.1 points, 8.5 assists, and 8.1 rebounds this season. His absence will be felt, but the team has shown they can still perform well. In specific lineups without him, they outscored opponents by solid margins.

Also, players like Austin Reaves have been optimistic. They know the team has faced challenges before and will find a way to bounce back. The focus will be on a collective effort, recognizing that no one can replace what LeBron does on the court.

Despite the setback, LeBron plans to travel with the team on their road trip, emphasizing the need to stay positive and focused on winning. “We can compete versus anyone in this league,” he stated, reminding everyone that building good habits and staying healthy is their main goal.