LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now, having won six of their last seven games.
After beating the Utah Jazz 131-99 on Tuesday night, James addressed the fact that the Lakers are not yet fully healthy this season.
The Lakers are 9-6, winning six of seven games, but with injuries still plaguing some players, LeBron James said the team is still in the exploratory period: “We don’t know what we have right now. ” pic.twitter.com/RwesuVayse
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 22, 2023
“We don’t know what we have right now,” James said. “We’re not complete yet. We’re not complete yet, not once this season. So, we don’t know exactly what we have, but the guys are in uniform — they’re going to come out and they’re going to execute as best they can offensively and defensively. plan until nearly 48 minutes in. “We believe in every single person who steps on stage. “
The Lakers are currently 9-6 on the season and have dealt with injuries to multiple players so far this season. Jared Vanderbilt has yet to play in the regular season with a heel injury, while Gabe Vincent has been sidelined since late October with a knee injury.
First-round pick Jalen Hood-Schifino missed the first 13 games of the regular season with a knee injury, but he has played in the team’s final two games. However, he has yet to see a minute of playing time.
James and star big man Anthony Davis both missed one game but have been on the Lakers’ injury report throughout the early stages of the season.
Offseason acquisition Cam Reddish has played in all 15 games so far and performed quite well, but he left Tuesday’s game against the Jazz with a groin injury. The Duke product will undergo further evaluation Wednesday morning.
Lakers forward Cam Reddish left the game five minutes into tonight’s game with a groin injury and did not return, sources told ESPN. He will undergo further evaluation Wednesday morning to determine the extent of the injury.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 22, 2023
James is currently playing 33.6 minutes per night for Los Angeles, the second-highest average on the team. According to a recent report, the plan is still to limit playing time once the team is fully healthy.
The four-time champion played just 24 minutes on Tuesday night, which is crucial considering the Lakers are scheduled to host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night.
Any rest James can get at this stage of the season is important, as he and the team certainly want him to be as fresh as possible heading into the playoffs.
After a mid-season adjustment, Los Angeles made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals last season and hopes to go one step further this season.
Rumors began to circulate, with the team recently being linked to Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine . However, the Lakers appear to be focused on improving internally.
After Wednesday’s game, the Lakers will embark on a four-game road trip.