Lakers Begin Season Without LeBron James, Embrace Luka Doncic Era

The Los Angeles Lakers are gearing up for a season that will see them without LeBron James for the first time since the 2017-2018 season. It appears they are ready to fully enter the Luka Doncic era, which, you know, reflects the ongoing popularity and intrigue surrounding the team in the NBA.

The NBA released its schedule on Thursday, showing that the Lakers will have a whopping 34 games on national television, which is tied for the highest in the league. The New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, and Philadelphia 76ers are also featured 34 times each.

Breaking it down, ten of the Lakers’ nationally aired games will be on NBC, another ten on Prime Video, nine on ESPN, and five on ABC.

The Lakers kick off their season on October 21 against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena, with the game airing on ESPN. They’ll have a couple of games next week, facing off against the Portland Trail Blazers on Peacock on October 27, and another showdown with the Warriors on October 30, which will be featured on Prime Video.

As for James, he’s expected to be back in Los Angeles soon for family commitments. Interestingly, the Lakers are set to host the Philadelphia 76ers on Christmas Day, around 2 p.m. This will mark not just James’ chance to compete against the Lakers but also the first time he’ll play against his son, Bronny.

The Lakers will have a rematch on March 4 when they head to Philadelphia for a game starting at 4 p.m. After Christmas, they’ll meet the NBA champion New York Knicks twice, starting with a trip to Madison Square Garden on January 30, which will be aired on ABC.

The second matchup is slated to be broadcast on Prime Video shortly after the NBA trade deadline, on March 11.

When it comes to the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs, two of their three games will be road games, with one set to air on Prime Video on November 27 at 6:30 p.m. and another on ABC on February 6 at 5:30 p.m. Their only home game against the Spurs is scheduled for April 4 at 7 p.m., available on Telemundo, NBC, and Peacock.

The first clash against the Boston Celtics will also take place on the road, on January 7 at 7 p.m. via Prime Video. They will host the Celtics later, on February 2 at 5 p.m., which will be shown on NBC and Peacock.

This ongoing rivalry, regardless of how each team is performing, surely helps to keep the NBA relevant and in the spotlight.