The Los Angeles Lakers have spent the majority of the season playing with only half of their roster, but on Friday, they made significant progress toward having their full squad. After missing the previous five games due to an adductor injury, LeBron James made a comeback for the first game of a back-to-back against the San Antonio Spurs.
As Patrick Beverley served the first game of a three-game suspension, Dennis Schroder started at point guard for the first time this season. James just played in one of his sloppier games, which was clearly the result of the roster turnover. James had nine turnovers despite the Lakers eking out a shockingly tough 105-94 victory over the Spurs.
It’s the most he’s racked up in a game since Jan. 26, 2018, when he had 11 against the Indiana Pacers. The Lakers’ collective turnover total of 21 was a season high and matched their previous defeat against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
James just participated in one of his sloppier games, which was undoubtedly caused by the lineup change. Despite the Lakers barely defeating the Spurs 105-94, James committed nine turnovers in the game. Since Jan. 26, 2018, when he had 11 against the Indiana Pacers, this is the most points he has ever accumulated in a game.
A season high for the Lakers, whose collective turnover total of 21 was also a tie with their last loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the fourth quarter, James contributed eight points, four rebounds, two assists, and only one turnover as the Lakers outscored the Spurs 26-19 to secure their first victory on the road in seven games.
San Antonio finished the third quarter on an 11-2 run, cutting Los Angeles’ lead to 79-74 while James and Davis were on the bench. After the Spurs drew even at 81-78, James started an 11-0 run. “That altered the game’s entire dynamic,”
The Spurs will get an opportunity at avenging themselves when these two teams meet again on Saturday, but it’s unclear at this time if James, who is recovering from that injury, will take the court. The Lakers would improve to 7-11 on the year and 5-1 in their last six games with a victory on Saturday, giving them their first positive momentum of the year.
Naturally, a large portion of those triumphs came over some of the NBA’s poorest groups, and the Spurs are no exception. They have dropped 12 of their last 13. James and the Lakers must play with greater discipline if they want to defeat stronger teams, and with time, he’ll probably become healthier and more accustomed to playing with this constantly changing lineup.
Even though the Lakers won in LeBron’s return game on Friday, it wasn’t very nice, and considering how this season has gone, it’s hard to expect much more than that.