April basketball is a tough, no-nonsense game. It doesn’t give prizes for sentimentality.
But it certainly punishes mistakes.
Right now, the Lakers find themselves facing a particularly risky dilemma: should they bring LeBron James back into the spotlight and rely on his star power again?
At 41, though, relying on him comes with significant concerns.
A couple of weeks ago, things looked promising for the Lakers.
In March, they’d racked up an impressive record of 15 wins against just 2 losses. Their defensive skills were sharper than ever. Their offense, driven by Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves, was nearly unstoppable. James, playing a supporting role, was effective in whatever was needed to secure victories.
But then everything changed in Oklahoma City.
Not only did the Lakers lose that game, but they seemed to lose their entire sense of identity.
Doncic came away with a Grade 2 left hamstring injury, which really shifted the focus back onto James.
And this leads to a critical query: how much should the Lakers push him?
The answer seems pretty straightforward.
They shouldn’t.
It’s not merely about seeding
No matter how the remaining games play out, the Lakers are set for a top-six seed in the playoffs.
Currently, they’re nestled between the third and fifth spots, holding onto the tiebreaker as a backup.
So, what’s the real concern?
Sure, home court in the playoffs is advantageous, but how much did it help last year?
Moving up to the third seed seems nice on paper—it avoids an early matchup with the reigning champions, the Thunder.
However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Paper records don’t win playoff matches, health does.
If they want to stand a chance against Houston or Minnesota without Doncic and Reeves, they’ll need a healthy LeBron and Marcus Smart.
The risks of relying on LeBron
Every game James, at 41, plays takes a toll as he’s already shown to have logged more minutes than any player before him.
He has certainly demonstrated he can still perform at a high level.
As the supporting player to Doncic and Reeves, James had the flexibility to play to his strengths, focusing on teamwork with rebounding and defense rather than being the primary scorer.
But he can no longer handle over 40 minutes each game as the key ball handler. That level of play just isn’t feasible.
James’s recovery process isn’t a straightforward path at this age; it’s unpredictable. After an elbow injury in Denver earlier this month, he missed three games due to foot arthritis.
When he was asked about the injury, James humorously remarked that “they say it’s old”. He noted that he didn’t remember any incident from the previous night.
That’s just another reason the Lakers should be cautious with his minutes.
They already made the smart choice having him participate in Tuesday’s big win over Oklahoma City, just four days prior.
Going forward, they need to tread carefully.
This doesn’t mean he should be rested in every game, but perhaps they should approach the upcoming back-to-backs wisely—choosing one game against either Golden State or Phoenix, then sit him for the other.
As for the season-ender against Utah, only start him if it’s crucial for seeding. Otherwise, give him rest.
Opponent considerations
There’s another complexity here: matchups may hold more weight than mere seeding.
The Lakers would want to avoid facing Denver without Doncic and Reeves.
The Houston Rockets are quick and athletic, but they’ve been in disarray since some issues with their star player Kevin Durant.
Is Houston a preferable matchup? Maybe, but they recently won six games in a row.
As for Minnesota, they’re battling their own health challenges.
Anthony Edwards isn’t at full strength, having missed several games due to a knee issue that sidelined him in the past. Jaden McDaniels has been out, dealing with a similar knee problem.
Final thoughts
For the Lakers, the instinct might be to push James, Smart, and the rest of the team in these last few regular-season games.
The players themselves might feel the pressure, wanting to experiment with the new lineup sans Doncic and Reeves.
However, momentum towards the end of the season doesn’t necessarily translate to playoff success.
Just look back at last year’s squad.
The Lakers already face a precarious health situation. What they really need is for James not to don the Superman cape this time around, avoiding unnecessary risks.
They need him healthy come playoff time to remind the league of his enduring capabilities.
That, frankly, requires more than just talent—it asks for self-discipline.
