The 49-26 Los Angeles Lakers are one of the NBA’s hottest teams, having won nine of their last 10 games and rounding into form at the perfect time. With that said, one of their star players is nursing an injury as the week rolls on.
Gearing up for the playoffs in year No. 23, F LeBron James’ availability for Tuesday night’s 10:30 p.m. ET game vs. the 47-28 Cleveland Cavaliers is in question.
With that in mind, let’s dive into the latest LeBron James injury update and how The King’s status could impact PrizePicks player projections for Cavaliers vs. Lakers.
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LeBron James Injury Update vs. Cavaliers Tonight
In a 4:15 p.m. update on the NBA’s official Tuesday injury report, the Lakers listed James as questionable due to left foot injury management.
Given that this is the second night of a back-to-back, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that James may not be operating at 100% capacity. Having played more minutes than anyone in NBA history, there’s more around-the-clock evaluation wrapped up in assessing the 41-year-old’s readiness each time out.
In the Lakers’ 120-101 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday, James went off for a triple-double. His 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists on 50% shooting helped lead the way for L.A., landing a third consecutive victory in the process.
James has been limited to 54 games this season due to rest and various ailments. He sat out Los Angeles’ first 14 contests of the campaign as he recovered from sciatica, and he also dealt with an elbow issue earlier this month.
On the season, James is averaging 20.9 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 7.0 APG on 51.2% shooting from the field. His longevity and efficiency put him in rarefied air historically.
LeBron James Injury Impact: Which Lakers Players to Target?
The Lakers are one win away from securing their second 50-win effort in a row and enter Tuesday 1.5 games up on the Denver Nuggets for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. As that quest continues, contributions beyond James are critical.
SG Austin Reaves (23.5 PPG) is a viable piece for Los Angeles, but the unquestioned top dog on the roster is superstar PG Luka Doncic. The MVP candidate leads the league in scoring at 33.7 PPG, and he’s been on an absolute tear as of late.
In a dozen contests from March 6-27, Doncic averaged 39.7 PPG, 8.1 RPG, and 6.9 APG on 48.9/39.3/80.0 shooting splits. The Lakers lost just once during that span, then took down Washington while Doncic served a one-game suspension due to receiving his 16th technical foul of the season.
Per databallr, in minutes without James on the floor, Doncic scores 10.5 more points per 75 possessions. His usage rate also climbs by 9.6%, as does his true shooting percentage (+3.3%).
Already a ball-dominant player, Doncic takes full rein of Los Angeles’ attack when James sits. That could once again be the case if James doesn’t play on Tuesday.
Luka Doncic vs. Cavaliers Projections, Picks
Here are some top Luka Doncic projections vs. the Cavaliers tonight, via PrizePicks.
- 34.5 Points
- 7.5 Rebounds
- 8 Assists
- 50.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- 57.5 Fantasy Score
- And More
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Make Cavaliers vs. Lakers Picks on PrizePicks
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