LeBron James Expected to Gradually Resume Back-to-Back Appearances for Lakers
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The Los Angeles Lakers plan to ease LeBron James back into a full workload with the goal of having the 21-year veteran available for future back-to-back games, head coach JJ Redick said after ruling James out of Tuesday’s matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans for foot injury management.
James, 40, sat out the first half of the two-game set as the team monitors a foot issue that has bothered him in previous seasons. Redick characterized the decision as precautionary, noting that the forward’s recent return to action has effectively served as his training camp.
“It’s an injury he’s had in the past and something we’ve managed before,” Redick told reporters. “Given the back-to-back and the fact that he’s basically just coming off his training camp—these last 10 days or so—we’re just being cautious.”
The Lakers intend to incrementally increase James’s minutes and ultimately reintegrate him into back-to-backs.
“We’re going to build him up, hopefully, to be able to play in back-to-backs—that’s the goal,” Redick said. “Every back-to-back is a case-by-case basis, but we want him to be able to play in them, and so does he. We’re going to work toward that.”
James’s return has already boosted Los Angeles’s transition offense, even as playmaking duties shift more toward Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Defensively, the league’s oldest active player continues to anchor the back line with his communication and anticipation.
The Lakers, who have relied on Doncic and Reaves to shoulder extra responsibilities during James’s limited minutes, have indicated they will continue to rest the four-time MVP against lesser opponents while monitoring his workload throughout his 23rd NBA season.
Source: LakersNation.com
