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LA Lakers superstar forward LeBron James only played 29 minutes in the Lakers’ 119-107 opening-night loss to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. This marked the lowest minutes total of LA’s starters, and according to Lakers coach Darvin Ham, this could become a long-term trend.
During his postgame interview, Ham was asked whether James’ minutes restriction would continue. Ham said that, as of now, the superstar's playing time is likely to be limited all season:
“In all likelihood, yes.”
However, Ham added that James will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis as LA tries to keep him in optimal shape in Year 21:
“Again, it’s gonna be a day-by-day process, gauged on how he’s feeling, getting communication from him, our training staff and medical staff. We communicate and collaborate … and again, it’s easy with him.”
Ham also said that it’s not easy for him to keep James off the floor in critical moments of games. However, he and the team are doing so for the soon-to-be 39-year-old’s long-term betterment:
“You get caught up in the emotion of the game and you tend to forget, and you want him to play in these long stretches. But in order for him to be as effective as possible, we have to be mindful of the minute output and how long his stretches are.”
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How did LeBron James fare in LA’s season opener?
LeBron James may have only played 29 minutes in Tuesday’s season-opening loss to Denver. However, the superstar forward was still highly effective during his time on the floor.
James finished with a team-high 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists, one steal and one 3-pointer on 62.5% shooting. But unfortunately for the superstar forward, it wasn’t enough as the Lakers trailed by as many as 18 points en route to their 119-107 defeat.
However, most would have a hard time faulting James for LA’s loss. This comes as his co-star, Anthony Davis, mustered up just 17 points on 35.3% shooting in 34 minutes.
If the Lakers hope to contend for the 2024 NBA title, they will likely need Davis to take on more of an alpha role. This should also make it easier for the team to manage James’ minutes throughout the regular season.
