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LeBron James did not play for the LA Lakers on Thursday night. In his absence, the Lakers continued their win-loss rollercoaster over the last six games as they lost 87-105 to the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center.
Anthony Davis had a monster double-double (31 points, 12 rebounds) and Russell Westbrook contributed with 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting. However, the Lakers clearly missed James, their leading scorer, as they went below 0.500 (24-25) yet again.
LeBron James is not just the LA Lakers' leading scorer this season, but is also second in the league in the scoring title race with 29.1 ppg to his credit. However, Carmelo Anthony, who had nine points off the bench in the loss to Philly, feels LeBron's contribution to the Lakers is much more than just his points.
Speaking about his friend and teammate, who sat out Thursday's game because of soreness in his left knee, Anthony said:
"He brings more to the game than just 30 points. His presence, his IQ, his savviness on the court, his understanding of the game of basketball -- that's what we're missing. Another voice."
Anthony's glowing words for LeBron are reflected in the Lakers' win-loss record without James. Taking into account their latest defeat to Philadelphia, the Lakers are now 5-8 when the 37-year-old has not taken to the court.
James' 29.1 ppg is the highest points average since the 29.7 ppg he recorded in the 2009-10 season. Overall, the Lakers superstar's 2021-22 scoring average is the fourth highest over the course of his illustrious 19-year NBA career.
LeBron James named as All-Star captain
Earlier, LeBron James was announced as captain of the All-Star team from the Western Conference. He and Kevin Durant finished with more fan votes than any other player in their respective conferences.
James has now made 18 All-Star teams, tying Kobe Bryant for second place all-time behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19).
While James has been named a starter in each of his previous All-Star appearances, he is now tied with Michael Jordan for most years leading the NBA in All-Star voting. He's led the charts nine times, more than twice as often as any other NBA player, including Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter and Julius Erving. All three players managed the feat four times each.
The 2022 All-Star Game will be played in James' home town of Cleveland, Ohio. He notably led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their one and only NBA title back in 2016.
Guess the Lakers players!
