It’s no secret that LeBron James is a vital piece to the Lakers’ success–even at 40 years old.
The Lakers started the 2024-2025 season 10-4, their best start since the 2020-2021 season. Leading that charge was the two-headed snake, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Also, by adding a new coach in JJ Redick, the Lakers finally looked to be back in contender form.
But as soon as they went 10-4, they lost seven out of their next nine games.
REGULAR SEASON GRIND
LeBron had some serious shooting struggles in late November and early December. He even had a stretch where he shot 0-20 from downtown.
He bounced back and had a near 40-point triple-double in a loss against the Hawks. Afterward, he decided to take a break from the team for undisclosed reasons. Throughout his career, we’ve seen James take a periodic hiatus to rejuvenate. While many have speculated Bron takes these absences to seek international medical treatment, the exact reason remains unknown.
Whatever the reason for LeBron’s absence, the King returned nine days later against the Grizzlies in peak form. He recorded a near triple-double in the Lakers’ win with 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists.
Since his return, the Lakers have won seven out of their last nine games, losing a heartbreaker to the Pistons and a loss to the 30-4 Cavaliers.
ROSTER SHAKE-UP
With the swap for D’Angelo Russell for Dorian Finney-Smith, the Lakers have finally gotten a 3 and D wing that can space the floor and provide some much-needed defensive versatility.
Trading Russell forces James and Reaves to be the main ball handlers, as the team has little guard depth. But having James as one of the main ball handlers has historically led to success for the Lakers.
With JJ Redick testing the lineup of James, Reaves, Christie, Finney-Smith, and Davis, the Lakers finally seem to have struck a chord with a closing lineup that holds their own defensively. It’s a small sample size, but those five provide a nice blend of defensive switchability and shooting in crunch time.
DEFYING FATHER TIME
LeBron James continues to defy Father Time, averaging 24.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 9 assists per game on the season.
Most players have to shake off some noticeable rust after missing 9 days. Not LeBron. In his most recent game against the Hawks, he broke the record for most 30-plus-point games in league history. He also recently broke the record for most minutes played in the regular season.
Even at 40 years old, LeBron isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. He might not give you a 40-piece on a weekly basis, but he can still take over a game with the best of them.
CHAMPIONSHIP FUTURE WITH LAKERS
The Lakers’ current run post-LeBron’s return, added with the momentum from the D’Angelo Russell trade, has them poised to make another deep playoff run.
Though they currently sit 5th in the Western Conference standings, challenges remain. The Western Conference is stacked. With teams like the Mavericks, Nuggets, and Clippers right next to them in the standings, they need to keep the momentum going to prevent sliding in the standings. The 4-10 seeds in the West are separated by just 3 games. One bad week can mean the difference between home-court advantage and the play-in.
With the tightness of the standings, the front office’s next moves will be critical. Adding one more key player could push the Lakers to be serious contenders. With names like De’Aaron Fox, Cameron Johnson, and Jimmy Butler being potential targets, the Lakers’ championship aspirations might not just be a dream— but a real possibility.
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