Is LeBron James playing tonight against the Golden State Warriors? Latest injury update from Los Angeles Lakers (13th October)
LeBron James has only played one of the three Los Angeles Lakers preseason games so far. Two of them resulted in wins as head coach Darvin Ham tinkered with various lineups. While LA lost their preseason opener to the Golden State Warriors, they recorded wins against the Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings. Now, they will face the Warriors again at the Crypto.com Arena on Friday, October 13, and there is still no word on whether James will suit up for the clash.
With three preseason games to go, including the upcoming skirmish against Golden State, the Lakers will look to field their full-strength squad at some stage. With James rested for two games already, it's clear that the think-tank has opted for the extra-cautious route.
While most would say, Sunday's matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks which features both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard would be a better game for LeBron James to play, chances are that he will suit up against the Warriors on a minutes restriction.
After it was reported that LeBron James' dodgy ankle last season was a torn tendon, the Purple and Gold will be extra careful in making sure that he remains available for longer stretches during the regular season. In his sole preseason appearance this season, James propped up 10 points, three rebounds, and five assists against the Nets as the Lakers won 129-126.
Will the Los Angeles Lakers field a full-strength squad including LeBron James against the Golden State Warriors?
With the onus on risk management, preseason games usually see teams rest their big stars and keep them fresh for the grueling regular season. The Lakers have taken the same route by resting James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves in the first game. It was the same case against the Kings when the trio did not take the floor.
It is safe to speculate that the Lakers may play their three big names every alternate preseason game. The other possibility is Ham looking at all three players on a game-to-game basis.
Meanwhile, this preseason has begun on a better note for the Lakers as their preseason results in their previous two years were riddled with losses, and that eventually set the tone for how they would start their regular season.
The positives for LeBron James and the roster surrounding him are the depth and the chemistry that makes them legitimate title contenders. The Lakers will look to play their regular starters at some point, and only time will tell if Friday is the day.