After their victory against the Dallas Mavericks, the atmosphere at Crypto.com Arena was upbeat for the Lakers as they approached the All-Star break. Despite questions about their potential as true NBA title contenders, some hope lingered, particularly with Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reeves having played just a total of 10 games together this season.
“We’re sitting in the top five in the West, and we’ve only had these guys for 10 games,” coach JJ Reddick pointed out. “Reaves has missed some time, Luka was out, and Bron had a slow start to the year. That has to be taken into account.”
He added, “It’s not just about everyday life; the internal pressure you put on yourself doesn’t fade. Yet, we should feel optimistic about the last 14 games, barring the game against San Antonio.”
Last season, the Lakers had a similar record of 33-21 early on, but they faced a lot of player absences—James played only four games, Reeves five, Doncic four, and Anthony Davis five. Together, their star players missed 18 total games in the first 54 games of the previous season.
Now, as they hit the mid-point of this season with the same record, it’s notable that their key players have missed significantly more games. In fact, by this time last year, they had missed a total of only 18 games compared to an astonishing 56 this season so far.
Reaves has been particularly affected, missing 26 games. James has been out for 18 games, initially sidelined for 14 due to sciatica, while Doncic has missed 12 games, with four of those due to hamstring tightness.
Even with a 7-3 record in the games where Doncic, James, and Reeves teamed up, there still seems to be an out-of-context aspect to their performances when they’ve actually played together.
After James made his season debut on November 18 against the Utah Jazz, it was evident he was still trying to get back into the groove. Following that, Reeves had to leave mid-game on Christmas against the Houston Rockets due to a calf strain, leading to a 19-game absence. In subsequent games, Reeves played with limitations, and Doncic was injured midway through a game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Add to that the absence of key players like Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, and Deandre Ayton, and it’s clear injuries have taken their toll.
“We’re just focused on staying healthy and improving our game,” Hachimura mentioned. “AR has come back and is eager to elevate his performance, and we’ve built good chemistry this season. Team synergy is crucial, especially in the playoffs.”
This roster’s shortcomings remain clear, despite the player unavailability.
While their defense shows improvement through a functioning zone setup, perimeter defense continues to be problematic. The nature of their victories and the degree of their losses indicate they’re not quite at the level needed to dominate the Western Conference or the NBA.
Nonetheless, there’s a sense of optimism about what the Lakers could become if they manage to break from this cycle of injuries. If their top players remain healthy and are backed by a stronger supporting cast, they might just be able to turn things around.
“We haven’t even had a full roster for many games,” Jackson Hayes noted. “Injuries have plagued us throughout the year, but we feel good about the upcoming second half of the season. The hope is to regain our health and build some momentum.”
