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Dave McMenamin, ESPN Staff Writer
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Lakers congregated as a group Wednesday for the primary time since Sunday’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers, solely an vital determine was lacking from the group: LeBron James.
“LeBron will not be with the group proper now,” Lakers coach JJ Redick mentioned after observe. “He’s out for private causes, excused absence.”
James sat out the Blazers recreation due to soreness in his left foot. It was the primary recreation James, 39, missed all season.
With the schedule offering a break — L.A. performs simply two video games in a 10-day stretch from Dec. 9-18 — Redick gave your complete group Monday off and designated Tuesday as an optionally available “get what you want” day.
Redick met with most of the Lakers’ gamers individually Tuesday, however James was not current, the coach mentioned.
The coach was requested concerning the upcoming break on Sunday and made it clear he would give his gamers the liberty to make use of the time as they deemed match.
“Heck, if anyone desires to go spend a few nights in Santa Barbara and loosen up, that is wonderful too,” Redick mentioned after the Blazers recreation. “It’s 1 / 4 means via the season.”
Redick added that James is presently “taking a while” and he was unclear whether or not the 22-year veteran could be again with the group for his or her subsequent recreation, Friday on the highway towards the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Lakers backup heart Christian Koloko mentioned James’ presence was missed, however he was not fearful about him falling behind on the group’s schemes due to his absence.
“I imply, we all know he already is aware of every little thing,” Koloko mentioned. “He’s going to return again and he is nonetheless going to be the identical. He’s going to present every little thing on the court docket.
“We simply received to do our half and simply get higher in order that when he comes again, he can simply have a look at us and be like, ‘Oh, yeah, [they] had been truly working,’ when he wasn’t there. But we all know he’ll come again and simply decide up every little thing. He’s been within the NBA for a very long time.”
On the season, James is averaging 23 factors on 49.5% taking pictures (35.9% from 3), 9.1 assists and eight.0 rebounds. Redick mentioned he’s in fixed communication with each James and his longtime athletic coach, Mike Mancias, about managing the four-time MVP’s workload as he nears his fortieth birthday on the finish of the month.
“In recreation, he is requested for a sub a pair occasions as a result of he is gassed,” Redick mentioned. “For us, we now have to be cognizant as we play increasingly more video games, simply the cumulative impact of taking part in numerous minutes and Sunday, being banged up with the foot factor, it felt like a superb alternative for him to get some relaxation.”
Redick added that Lakers beginning taking pictures guard Austin Reaves, who missed the previous 5 video games with a left pelvic damage, returned to observe Wednesday and was in a position to be a part of his teammates for a lot of the drills.
“I would not name Austin a full participant,” Redick mentioned. “There was one factor that he sat out that we prompt … that was in all probability not good for him, simply because of the nature of the drill. It was significantly a bodily drill and simply need to be conscious of his ache tolerance. But he was full participant of all of the 5-on-5, stay stuff and all of the breakdown drills.”
Reaves is taken into account day-to-day heading into the Minnesota recreation, based on Redick.
