LeBron James Set to Return vs. Suns as Lakers Look to Keep Momentum Rolling
After taking the night off during the Lakers’ 133-121 win over the Pelicans, LeBron James is back in the lineup and ready to suit up Monday night when Los Angeles hosts the Phoenix Suns.
James, who was held out Sunday as part of a cautious approach to his return from a sciatic nerve issue, is not listed on the injury report for the second leg of the back-to-back. That’s a green light for the four-time MVP to rejoin a Lakers squad that’s riding a seven-game win streak and starting to find its rhythm.
The decision to rest James on Sunday wasn’t surprising. It’s standard protocol around the league to limit minutes or sit players who are just coming back from injury-especially when back-to-backs are involved.
At 41 years old and in his 23rd NBA season, James is no stranger to load management, and the Lakers are clearly playing the long game here. The good news?
They didn’t need him to get the job done against New Orleans.
Whether James will consistently play both nights of back-to-backs this season is still up in the air. His longtime agent Rich Paul has made it clear he’s not pushing for that kind of workload.
“Look, at 41 years of age, I hope he is not playing back-to-backs,” Paul said recently. That’s the kind of perspective you expect from someone looking out for the big picture-preserving LeBron’s health for the games that matter most.
But Lakers head coach J.J. Redick isn’t shutting the door on the idea entirely.
He’s said the team plans to “build him up” when it comes to handling two games in two nights. There’s a mutual interest between James and the coaching staff in seeing how far they can push that envelope-carefully, of course.
So far, the early results when James is on the floor have been encouraging. The Lakers are 4-0 in games he’s played this season, and while it’s still early, that kind of impact speaks for itself. His presence changes the tempo, the spacing, and the confidence of the entire roster.
Monday night’s matchup with the Suns marks the first regular-season meeting between the two teams, though they did face off twice in the preseason, with Phoenix taking both contests. But preseason is a different animal. With James back in the fold and the Lakers clicking, this one has the potential to be a tone-setter.
For now, the focus is simple: keep building momentum, manage LeBron’s minutes wisely, and let the wins take care of themselves. The Lakers are trending up-and with James back in the lineup, they’re looking to keep it that way.