The Lakers are back to 2nd seed after the Nuggets’ loss! It may seem like good news to the LA fans, but in reality, it’s the other way around. This could probably be the last time that the Purple & Gold side can taste the 2nd seed. That’s what ESPN’s Bob Myers hinted, citing the latest update on LeBron James’ groin injury. Last night, taking on the defending champions, the LakeShow blew their 8-game winning streak in an embarrassing defeat.

More than the defeat, the team has a more sour pill to swallow. It’s the number of games that the team will have to play without the superstar. In short, Coach JJ Redick has a small battle with his championship aspiration.

On Saturday night, the Akron Hammer exited the court with a groin strain and moments later, Shams Charania reported that LeBron James will miss at least 1-to-2 weeks. With the postseason around the corner, it might seem like a narrow escape for the Lakers. However, former Warriors GM Bob Myers, who was influential in spoiling Bron’s three NBA Finals, saw it differently. He said, “We are acting like it’s just going to be one or two weeks,” featuring on NBA Countdown alongside Stephen A. Smith and Kendrick Perkins.

While SAS argued that James has an “incredible condition“, Myers didn’t budge and put forward a threatening scenario. The 49-year-old said, “One to two is a big difference… If he goes past two weeks, they could easily fall to 4-5 (seeds).” Well, that’s not false either. The margin of error is extremely thin right now. Myers continued, “The cushion isn’t huge. They got 22 losses, Denver has 23, Memphis has 24, Houston has 25. That’s a three-game difference between them and Houston. So, I can see them slipping to 4-5.” 

Above all, Bob Myers dropped another truth bomb, saying, “You watched that game yesterday, Doncic is grabbing his back. He is not a picture of health himself.” Okay, that’s too many problems in one go. Well, Luka Doncic and JJ Redick do have a response to the crisis.

What plan does JJ Redick have until LeBron James’ return?

Amid the Lakers-Celtics clash, something was caught on camera. It was Luka’s extended stretching sessions for his back. And, no one can escape the media’s microscope. Right after the game, a reporter asked if the Slovenian guard was dealing with a back issue. Unfortunately, he was, but he also highlighted, “Have been playing since the fall. Just dealing with it.” 

In short, it’s a message to Coach Redick that he can’t overuse the guard amid his nagging back. Especially with the absence of LeBron James, at least for a week or two, there will be a lot of temptations to deploy Luka for longer minutes. And it could lead to a serious problem in the postseason. 

Nevertheless, JJ Redick seemed to have a plan in place already. The 40-year-old coach doesn’t like to lose. Whenever the team loses, we can spot that in JJ’s face. He would address the press with a sullen face and stick to only short statements. Last night wasn’t any different. When the reporter asked about his plans for the Lakers in James’ absence, he said, “I think we just have to continue to play hard and play defense.” 

Well, if we go by what’s in front of us, Bron would miss 8 games in the next two weeks. Can the Lakers hold their second seed with just defense? Let us know in the comments.