Charles Barkley gives surprising credit to LeBron James as Luka Doncic struggles to carry Lakers

NBA analyst Charles Barkley offered an intriguing insight regarding LeBron James' role after the Lakers signed Luka Doncic.

Charles Barkley gives surprising credit to LeBron James as Luka Doncic struggles to carry Lakers

LeBron James and Charles Barkley

The Los Angeles Lakers have regained energy and enthusiasm following their blockbuster trade with the Dallas Mavericks. In exchange for Anthony Davis, they acquired high-scoring star Luka Doncic, a move that has been well-received by both fans and analysts. However, with LeBron James sidelined due to injury, Doncic has yet to fully embrace a leadership role.

The Lakers have lost three games in a row since James’ injury. The most recent loss came against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night.

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Former NBA player and current analyst Charles Barkley spoke about this situation on the recent segment of the NBA on the TNT show. Chuck praised James for adapting to his new role with the inclusion of Luka.

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I gotta give LeBron a lot of credit because he has accepted a role of a finisher than a starter, that’s a really big deal.

Charles Barkley said

With Doncic’s arrival, the Lakers now have two superstars capable of dominating any game. Doncic and LeBron James are a deadly combo, and while they are still adjusting to playing together, it is evident that they have captured the interest of their opponents.

According to Barkley, Doncic’s adjustment to his new squad is more than just that. He believes Doncic is the type of player who thrives at creating opportunities for his teammates for game-changing moments, as well as dominating in terms of scoring. Given that James was the main player whom Doncic used to create chances for. With him out, Doncic will need to find new ways to lead his side for the remaining games this season.

Charles Barkley offers blunt response regarding LeBron James’ injury timeline

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James missed his second consecutive game due to injury. Many are pondering as to when the King will return to the court this ongoing season. In addition, NBA analyst Charles Barkley had a blunt take regarding James’ injury timeline on the NBA on TNT show. He does not think James is returning anytime soon.

He wasn’t going to play anyway. LeBron’s out probably for the rest of the season. I don’t see him coming back… He stayed in New York because it’s New York. He didn’t want to go to Milwaukee because it’s Milwaukee… LeBron’s going to get healthy for the playoffs. That’s the best situation for the Lakers.

Charles Barkley said

In addition, ESPN’s Shams Charania stated that James had returned to Los Angeles before the game against the Bucks. Despite his latest injury, James continues to be one of the NBA’s finest players at 40. In 58 games, he has averaged 25.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 8.5 assists while shooting 51.7% from the field and 38.4% from three.

Lakers have suffered 3 straight losses since LeBron James’ injury

The Lakers suffered yet another damning defeat in the absence of LeBron James on Thursday night. This defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks (126-106) makes it their third straight loss. The team is heavily reliant on Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves but lacks James’ leadership on the court. His absence was quite evident in all three matchups.

The Lakers’ offensive struggles were clear in their loss against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. The Lakers scored 43.5% from the field and 47.5% from three. However, their key players underperformed. Doncic completed just eight of his 26 shots, while Reaves hit only three of 14.

Against the Bucks, Doncic stepped up, but it was not enough to secure a win. He scored a whopping 45 points along with 11 assists, but the Lakers lacked in defense as a unit. They will need to do a lot more than this if they were to secure a top 3 seed before the end of the regular season.