The Los Angeles Lakers got news they didn’t want to hear ahead of their matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans. Just a few hours before tipoff, the team officially ruled out LeBron James (left knee injury management). Along with LeBron, Marcus Smart (back injury) has also been ruled out.
What was expected to be a light workload for LeBron turned out to be a full shutdown.
This will mark LeBron’s 15th missed game out of the Lakers’ first 19.
If LeBron has any intention of extending his legendary streak of 21 straight All-NBA selections, he can only miss two more games for the rest of the year. He’s still capable of brilliant nights, but the durability demands of the modern NBA and the league’s availability rules leave him with almost no margin.
The timing of this rest day makes sense strategically, even if it frustrates fans. The Lakers host the Phoenix Suns tomorrow, and all signs point to that being the contest the team prefers to have him available for.
Today’s game is the easier clash of the two, with the Pelicans arriving at the bottom of the West and missing several players.
LeBron has also looked sharp since returning, averaging 16.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 5.0 rebounds, so the plan seems clear: keep him fresh, manage his workload, and protect him from unnecessary back-to-back stress.
Still, his absence leaves the Lakers without their emotional anchor and most experienced stabilizer, even if Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have done most of the heavy lifting during this six-game winning streak.
This latest update comes on the heels of an important stretch for the Lakers. They are 14-4, one of the hottest teams in the league, and they keep finding ways to win. The victory over Dallas on Friday was another reminder of their depth and new identity.
Reaves exploded for 38 points. Luka dominated with 35 points and 11 assists. The offense looked fluid and dangerous, and they closed strong, even with LeBron scoring only two points in the first half.
That’s why tonight still feels manageable for Los Angeles. Luka enters averaging 35.1 points, 9.4 assists, and 8.5 rebounds. Reaves enters averaging 28.5 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.9 rebounds, playing the best basketball of his career. Both are locked in, both are thriving in JJ Redick’s system, and both have taken control of games lately, regardless of who is or isn’t available next to them.
The Pelicans, meanwhile, are stuck at 3-17 and spiraling. They are on the second leg of a back-to-back, dealing with a long injury report, and struggling to defend or generate consistent offense unless Zion Williamson catches fire. New Orleans has lost nine of its last ten and hasn’t shown much to suggest a sudden turnaround.
So even without LeBron and Smart, the Lakers remain strong favorites. The team has already shown it can win without LeBron this season, and with Luka and Reaves in red-hot form, tonight still lines up as an opportunity to extend the winning streak to seven.
LeBron’s absence is significant. It affects standings, narratives, and his All-NBA eligibility. But for one night, the Lakers trust the formula that has already worked: let Luka and Reaves cook, rely on internal depth, and keep the momentum rolling.
