Former NBA standout Chandler Parsons made a bold Lakers, Luka Doncic statement following LeBron James’ injury
Feb 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) and forward LeBron James (23) during the second quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images
After becoming one of the hottest teams in the NBA with their fresh duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers have lost two consecutive games and are in jeopardy of falling hard.
During their loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday, James went down with an injury that would sideline him for the final stretch. James suffered a groin strain and is now expected to be sidelined one-to-two weeks, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The Lakers are a completely different team without James on the court and it showed in their loss to the 22-win Brooklyn Nets on Monday. While the Lakers will not be the same without James as he recovers, nine-year NBA veteran and former Memphis Grizzlies standout Chandler Parsons believes it gives Doncic an opportunity to shine.
“I think this is a great time for Luka to get his rhythm, to get him going,” Parsons said. “This is a great opportunity for him to fully have the keys, get his legs, get his conditioning all in tip-top shape going down the stretch of the season. I think it might work to their favor.”
“I’m not saying they’re better without LeBron James because that’s not even close to the truth, but I think it long-term might help them out,” Parsons finished.
In 12 games with the Lakers, Doncic is averaging 24.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 8.0 assists. Playing next to James marks the first time in his career that a teammate has challenged him as the best player on the court, so James’ injury could give him an opportunity to get more comfortable in LA and take over the team like he is used to.