DALLAS — The Los Angeles Lakers have been careful with LeBron James’ workload as the team nears the end of an unprecedented 23rd NBA season.
And that isn’t changing — even as the Lakers are without their star guards Luka Dončić (Grade 2 left hamstring strain) and Austin Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique strain).
“The burden’s not going to just be on LeBron to create all the offense,” coach JJ Redick said before his team’s 134–128 loss to the Mavericks on Sunday at American Airlines Center.
James’ final stats from the Lakers’ first game since the injured Dončić and Reaves were ruled out for the remainder of the regular season — and likely the start of the playoffs, at the minimum — don’t tell the full story of the Lakers’ offense.
His 30 points marked the sixth time this season he’s reached the scoring mark, and the second time since mid-January after averaging 19.5 points over the previous 35 games and 18.5 points in March. It was his lowest scoring average for a month he played at least 10 games in since he averaged 16.8 points in 15 games during November 2003 (his rookie season).
His 15 assists were also a season-high, and the 38:43 he played were just a second behind from tying the second-most playing time he’s had in a game this season.
Yes, James had the ball in his hands more against the Mavericks than he has for most of this season.
And yes, he carried a larger responsibility for the team’s offense, which was also evident by the 22 shots he took, which was the second most he’s taken in a game this season and the most he’s attempted in a game in 2026.
“We did enough intentionally to get him sort of out of actions and not have him involved in every single play when he was out there,” Redick said of James. “And then there were times when he would get an outlet pass or get the ball and just kind of manipulated the half-court set for us and we got some good stuff.”
But almost everyone who played for the Lakers on Sunday night was a little bit more involved offensively.
Luke Kennard, who’s been used as a combo guard or wing for most of his nine-season NBA career, was essentially the Lakers’ point guard against the Mavericks.
He finished with the first triple-double of his NBA career (15 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists).
“It’s something I haven’t really done,” Kennard said. “I haven’t done it this year at all, being that involved and having the ball in my hands that much.”
Kennard, who led the league in 3-point shooting at 48.7% and was shooting a career-high 54.2% entering Sunday, shot 5 of 17 from the field and 1 of 5 on 3s against the Mavericks.
He was nine seconds away (40:10) from setting a new career-high in minutes played in a game, with Redick saying closing to 41 minutes of playing time is “too much” for Kennard, and that the increased playing time and different role contributed to him not having his typical shooting night.
“Obviously, I’ve gotta be better with it,” Kennard said. “Took some tough shots but shots are gonna fall but at the same time it’s just getting everybody connected and being organized out there and just being confident with it, which I am.”
James was used as a ball-handler more against the Mavericks than he has for most of the season, with Dončić, Reaves and Marcus Smart (who was sidelined for the seventh consecutive game because of a right ankle contusion) being higher in the pecking order but not available on Sunday.
But the Lakers also had Kennard, Bronny James, Kobe Bufkin and Nick Smith Jr. bring the ball up the court, in addition to Jake LaRavia and Rui Hachimura.
The Lakers’ “all hands on deck” approach was reflected in not just their balanced scoring (six players had at least 13 points), but also in their 36 assists (second-most of the season) for 47 field goals.
“Just keeping the pace of the offense moving and just never stopping,” Jaxson Hayes (23 points off of the bench) said of the offense. “Whenever the offense gets stagnant or stops it just starts stinking. As long as we keep moving and keep them in action, our offense will be good.”
This will have to be the Lakers’ offensive formula moving forward.
“I know what I’m capable of still,” James said. “I know it’s going to be challenging for our ballclub. But if I’m in the lineup, I got to try to make plays happen for us in multiple ways.”
Expect for an uptick from James what’s already been working for him with the Lakers this season rather than a reinvention.
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