He has that look in his rise again

James flashes his form after sitting out start of season for Lakers

- BY THỤC NHI NGUYEN

LUKA DONCIC has assumed primary ballhandling duties for the Lakers, but James has adapted in his willingness to play off the ball more.

(Ronald Martinez Getty Images)

At this stage of LeBron James' career, it’s not enough to just evaluate the Lakers superstar’s performance in a vacuum. So when coach JJ Redick was asked in Utah before James played his 10th game of the season whether the 21-time All-NBA honoree was “looking more like himself,” Redick didn’t have a straightforward answer.

“Well, I think you have to contextualize it,” Redick told reporters. “ was.

A dunk that looks more deliberate than explosive.Then he turns back the clock by bulldozing San Antonio's Luke Kornet on a vicious one-handed dunk. James, always one of the league’s best in transition, still leads the Lakers with 6.4 transition points per game.

“The thing about LeBron — it’s why he’s so great — is he can play with anybody,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “So it doesn’t matter who's on the floor, but he’s always going to be effective.”

James showed he can still carry the team for stretches when Doncic suffered a left leg bruise during the first half against the Clippers, and the shorthanded Lakers, who entered the game without three starters, still chopped the Clippers’ 22-point lead to seven in the fourth quarter.

Doncic (leg) remained out for Tuesday’s game against Phoenix, along with Rui Hachimura (groin) and Gabe Vincent (back). Reaves (calf) is questionable as his absence has surpassed one week.