The long wait was finally over as the Los Angeles Lakers welcomed LeBron James back to the starting lineup in their win against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.
James had missed the first 14 games of the 2025-26 season due to a sciatica issue, but looked great physically against the Jazz. LeBron took the first couple of quarters to get his legs back under him, but he was far more involved in the second half as a playmaker.
For whatever reason, there were some questions as to whether or not James would fit in with the current group but the Lakers star emphasized that it’s no problem for him.
“I said it at yesterday’s practice, I can fit in with anybody,” he said after finishing with 12 assists to go along with 11 points in his first game of the season.
“I don’t even understand why that was even a question. What’s wrong with these people out here? I could fit in right away with anybody. So, just watching the guys, their first 14 games that I missed, the first 14, just watching them and seeing, just, I was just putting myself in position, while I was watching the games of how I can help the team and how I could be successful to help those guys. I still, you know, able to gain a lot of eyes when I’m driving the ball or have the ball, things of that nature. And I had a big fella down there, big five [Deandre Ayton] down there, and my guy Gabe [Vincent], right here obviously, and Jake [LaRavia], our second team, we went out there and, and kind of pushed the lead up, that was good.”
It was laughable to think that James wouldn’t be able to acclimate himself to this Los Angeles squad as they’ve shown they can be trusted to make plays. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves have done well to act as the primary scorers and playmakers, making it even easier for James to act as a finisher or a secondary shot creator when necessary.
Against the Jazz, LeBron was at his best as a distributor as the defense continue to load up on him whenever he had the basketball. The more James gets comfortable being back on the floor, the more the purple and gold will be dangerous the rest of the season.
Austin Reaves believes LeBron James will fit in seamlessly
Austin Reaves has a few years of experience playing alongside LeBron James and the two have developed a great chemistry. In Reaves’ mind, there was never a doubt that James would fit in seamlessly with the Lakers and it looks like he was proven right considering how the win against the Jazz looked.
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