LeBron James Slandered on Social Media After Lakers Dismantle Knicks Without Him – “Getting Even More Obvious”

LeBron James was reported to be struggling with injuries he sustained during their previous two games.

LeBron James Slandered on Social Media After Lakers Dismantle Knicks Without Him – “Getting Even More Obvious”

Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • LeBron James missed the Lakers' 110-97 win over the Knicks due to an elbow injury and arthritis.
  • Fans criticized James on social media, suggesting the team performs better without him.
  • Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves highlighted the team's hard work and defensive effort in the victory.

LeBron James‘ 23rd season in the NBA has been a topsy-turvy affair so far, with his Los Angeles Lakers struggling with inconsistent performances as they work to get the best out of their current squad.

The team has some problems when it comes to usage and the way they mesh with each other, especially when the ‘King’ plays alongside fellow superstars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Many fans, analysts, and former players have pointed out how the team is better off without the league’s all-time leading scorer. However, there is also the counterargument that the Big 3 have not played enough games together to warrant that discussion.

After the All-Star weekend, their three-game winning streak had the entire basketball world pointing fingers at the Slovenian guard, questioning his effort and passion to win games rather than be a perennial whiner.

Since that run, LeBron James and his teammates have won four out of their last five, but even then, the Doncic criticism did not stop. Then, he and Reaves put on a show against the New York Knicks.

The duo combined for 60 points as the men in purple and blue played with a vigor not evident whenever they go up against playoff contenders. However, what mattered most to fans was that LeBron James was missing from this 110-97 win.

Fans troll LeBron James after Lakers win

It so happens that LeBron James missed the game despite going through his pre-game workout. It was reported that he struggled with an elbow injury, as well as arthritis.

Lakers played with vigor against Knicks
Lakers played with vigor against Knicks (Image via California Post Sports/X)

Other than the fact that fans were trolling those injuries, what they pointed out was how Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and the rest of the team played without the four-time league MVP in the lineup.

They felt that the Lakers played a lot better and more freely when compared with when LeBron James started the game. Most social media reactions were calls to either bench the 41-year-old or just not re-sign him when the season ends. Check out examples of them below:

This narrative about LeBron James will probably continue for a few days, as the Los Angeles Lakers are now 9-2 without him in the lineup. At a time when some former players want him off the team, such performances will only add to the narrative.

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves claiming Lakers played well might add to LeBron James discourse

The ‘Lakers play better without LeBron James‘ narrative will continue to be the focal point of any discussion over the next few days. On top of that, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic’s comments will also add to the conversation.

The undrafted guard pointed out how the team played hard in all aspects of the game to hash out this impressive win. Then, when it was his fellow guard’s turn, he echoed his team’s stellar defensive effort.

Pretty awesome win for sure. They just beat the Nuggets by 40 at Nuggets. Pretty big win for us. Gives us a lot of confidence moving forward. We did a great job, hold a team like New York Knicks under 100 is pretty amazing for us.

Lukaa Doncic said

Over the course of the season, the Lakers’ defense has been a sticking point in all conversations. But in this game, they proved that both Doncic and Reaves can be good at helping the team hold a playoff opponent at bay. This, too, could become a narrative concerning LeBron James.

Also Read: