LeBron James made his season debut for the Los Angeles Lakers, as they defeated the Utah Jazz 140-126. The veteran superstar missed the opening 14 games of the season due to sciatica. He made an instant impact on his return, ending his night with a double-double and a statline of 11 points, 12 assists, three rebounds and a steal.
During his postgame news conference, Luka Doncic explained why LeBron’s presence on the court is so important to the Lakers.
“Honestly, just sharing what we have, it’s his 23rd season,” Doncic said, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “It’s insane, and it’s just cool sharing that with him; it’s special. He sees things that other people can’t, so he’s here to help us all, so it’s amazing. It’s only his first game back, and he played amazingly, so I’m excited to play some more.”
Doncic had a big night himself. The Lakers’ star of the future ended the game with 37 points, 10 assists, four steals and 5 rebounds, shooting 50% from the floor and 81.3% from the line.
Lakers’ LeBron James Blasts Critics
When speaking to the media after the game, LeBron questioned why his fit with the current rotation was ever a discussion point among the media.
“I don’t even understand why that was even a question,” LeBron said, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “What’s wrong with these people out here? I can hit it right on with anybody. So, you know, just watching the guys’ first 14 games, I missed the first 14, just watching them and seeing.”
LeBron continued.
“I was just putting myself in a position while I was watching the games of how I can help the team and how I can be successful to help those guys. I’m still able to gain a lot of eyes when I’m driving the ball or have the ball, things of that nature.”
Despite it being his first game back, LeBron ended the night with 29 minutes of playing time. He will undoubtedly continue to improve in the coming weeks.
Lakers’ Austin Reaves Takes Funny Jab At LeBron
As LeBron geared up for his return to the court, he spent some time with the South Bay Lakers of the G League. When speaking to the media after the game, Austin Reaves quickly joked that the veteran star is a “pretty good G League” player.
“Pretty good G League player over there. … The G raised him…“He had 12 assists and one turnover — not bad at all…He looked good. He got up and down the floor well. He’s a good player.” Reaves joked.
The trio of Reaves, Doncic and LeBron will now be tasked with establishing the Lakers as a genuine threat in the Western Conference. Rob Pelinka plugged some of the bigger holes in the roster over the season, so the Lakers have the talent and depth to be a legitimate threat.
As always, LeBron will have a big role to play moving forward, assuming his health issues are behind him. The Lakers have started the season brightly, securing 11 wins in 15 games. If they can keep this up, LeBron could be on track to add another championship to his legendary resume.
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