The Lakers play with the fans’ emotions mercilessly. Tonight marked a historic day in the NBA calendar as Luka Doncic played his first game in the Purple & Gold jersey. Even LeBron James expressed his excitement before the game, as he donned the #77 T-shirt at the pre-game shoot-around. Just as everyone expected, LukaMagic’s debut went off to an electrifying start as the team dominated the Utah Jazz right from tipoff. But the excitement didn’t carry on for long as King James walked off the court mid-game with discomfort.

The last thing that an NBA fan wants to witness is the 40-year-old getting injured. Carrying his fiery form, James once again put up an all-round performance, recording a 24-7-8 stat line in 29 minutes. The team had almost secured the win, stepping into the 4th quarter with a 25-point lead.

40 seconds into the quarter, LeBron James unusually checked out of the game. Not like the team had entered the garbage minutes already. With a concerned look on his face, James headed straight to the tunnel. The 4x Champ spent a considerable amount of time in the tunnel, pressing his face against the wall in grimacing pain. Apparently, the superstar has pain in his abdomen region. Jovan Buha reported that James had a 30-second chat with the long-time trainer Mike Mancias and headed straight into the locker room.

Considering the Lakers’ massive lead, the situation didn’t demand the superstar’s presence. At the same time, the Lakers can’t afford to lose their veteran forward right when the team is about to conquer the world.

Notably, they are two wins away from clinching the fourth seed. We don’t have any immediate update on the 4x MVP’s injury, but we do have a promising update. James returned to the bench with 2 minutes remaining in the game. Not sure if helps in any way, but he didn’t look like he was in pain. Good sign!

Luka-LeBron era kicks off but ends with a concern

The Slovenian baller’s run in South California has officially begun. The only thing he has to keep in mind is that he is still second fiddle until LeBron James moves out. Well, it indeed looked like that. Luka Doncic struggled to shoot the ball tonight, registering 5-14 in his 24-minute stay. Well, we will have to give him time as he is stepping on the court after 50-odd days.

Anyway, the team provided a glimpse of what we can expect in the future. Apart from the injury scare at the end, the game was a delight to watch. James has missed only 5 games this season and also expressed his wish to play all 82 games at the start of the season. While it’s a pretty commendable effort for a 40-year-old to play at the highest level efficiently, the medical team also needs to keep a check on him.

Moreover, speaking of James’ mentality to play every game in front of him, JJ Redick once said, “I don’t know (if) that’s in the best interest of him and us if he does that, but if he’s feeling well and feeling good, then he should play.” What do you think? Should James take a step back and take proper rest before lacing up for the postseason? What do you think? Let us know in the comments.