Numbers Reveal Surprising Lakers Trend When LeBron James Doesn’t Play

With LeBron James missing a second straight game, the Los Angeles Lakers pushed to their second straight win on Sunday afternoon after defeating the New York Knicks.

Throughout much of the season, the Lakers have struggled to find consistency to play at a high level.

That didn’t appear to be the case against the Knicks as Los Angeles controlled much of the game, especially defensively, forcing one of the Eastern Conference’s top teams to shoot just 24 percent from beyond the arc and commit 19 turnovers.

Offensively, Luka Doncic led the way with a game-high 35 points, while Austin Reaves put together a strong outing with 25 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc.

It marked Reaves’ first 20-point performance since Feb. 20 against the LA Clippers and third overall since returning from a left calf strain that forced him to miss 19 straight games.

Windhorst: Lakers Are a Better Team Without LeBron James

What was most telling was that all of that happened while James was sidelined. During Monday’s edition of ESPN’s First Take, longtime NBA insider Brian Windhorst suggested that the Lakers may be a better team with James off the floor.

“This is not a commentary on LeBron,” Windhorst said. “But when LeBron doesn’t play, and Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic do, the Lakers are a better team. Now, JJ Redick might say to you, ‘Give me more time, we’re getting better with that trio.’ The numbers say that that is true. However, the numbers say that when Luka and Reaves play together, the Lakers are a really good team.”

When James is not on the floor or sidelined, the Lakers play a different style of basketball that seems more conducive to their current roster. It is a small sample size, but Los Angeles has experienced strong success without him this season, posting a 9-2 record when it’s only Doncic and Reaves leading the charge and a 13-7 record overall.

During those situations, Reaves looks every bit the part of the counterpart the Lakers want playing long-term alongside Doncic. He demonstrates more offensive prowess behind increased aggressiveness as a scorer and playmaker.

As Windhorst points out, it isn’t a strike against James, but rather that Los Angeles has shown to be a more well-rounded team when he has been off the floor this season.

They are starting to find their stride, winning five out of their last six games. A strong finish to the regular season could elevate them into a higher playoff seed.

Los Angeles is currently sitting just one game behind the third-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, whom they host on Tuesday night.