LeBron James has always benefited from having elite 3-and-D players around him, which made this former San Antonio Spurs guard a perfect fit on the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

It’s not the same dynamic that James currently faces, because he still is playing at an All-Star caliber level. That puts the onus on James to continue managing his body so that he’s both available and remains one of the NBA’s best players. That also puts the pressure on the Lakers to surround James with a championship-caliber roster.

LeBron James was a late scratch Saturday due to illness. Anthony Davis did suit up for the Lakers' nightcap matchup against Sacramento.