KEY POINTS

  • The Lakers need Westbrook to step up once more, with James out for at least a week
  • With James injured again, it is not a good sign for the Lakers
  • Westbrook and Davis need to hold the fort to keep the Lakers’ NBA title drive alive

LeBron James will be out for a couple of weeks again for the Los Angeles Lakers due to an abdominal strain.

This would deal a big blow to the club’s NBA title aspirations, but Russell Westbrook can make up for that huge void.

The four-time NBA champion reportedly suffered the injury in the winning game against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday, November 2, ESPN reported.

It has yet to be confirmed with James suffered the injury although it may have happened during the fourth quarter.

James was on the defensive end and was trying to draw a charge from the Rockets’ rookie Jalen Green. A clip of that can be seen below, a sequence before he was seen in the tunnel headed to the dugout.

The Lakers are taking no chances and will not risk James aggravating the injury.

Sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic that James will miss at least one week with the Lakers being cautious.

With James out, all eyes will be on Westbrook. The former NBA MVP is seen as the best guy to step up in the absence of the 36-year-old star.

Westbrook has proven this in the past, particularly with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Hence, head coach Frank Vogel will rely on the nine-time All-Star to join hands with Anthony Davis and whoever is healthy on the Lakers’ end.

In eight games, Westbrook is slowly getting into the groove of things after initially struggling with the Lakers.

He is averaging 19.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists in 35.9 minutes of action per Basketball-Reference.

No less than James and Davis want Westbrook to recall his old form and do what he does best.

Both gave Westbrook advice when he was struggling, telling him not to be too hard on himself and just play his game.

Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after an injury in front of LeBron James
Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after an injury in front of LeBron James Getty Images | Harry How

“We just want him to be himself. Be aggressive. Be Russell Westbrook. Be the reason why we traded for you, and once he does that, everyone else will figure out how to play around him,” Davis said to Westbrook in October.

The good news for the Lakers is that these injuries are happening at this early stage of the 2021-22 season rather than in the playoffs.

However, it remains to be seen if James and other injured Lakers’ players can be sturdy once the postseason war begins.

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