Life without LeBron James: what happens when he's out of the lineup?

Leandro Fernández

Life without LeBron James: what happens when he's out of the lineup? image

For 41 minutes of their first game without LeBron James, everything clicked for the Los Angeles Lakers. Kyle Kuzma scored in every way imaginable, Lonzo Ball flew up and down the court and Brandon Ingram showed flashes of a dependable high-usage scorer.

Then came the closing stretch. After leading by 15 with just under seven minutes remaining, the Lakers were outscored 28-12 to end the game with Bogdan Bogdanovic burying the dagger at the buzzer.

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It’s been a while since we’ve seen a LeBron James team play without LeBron James. He did after all play in all 82 games last season, the first time in his career he’s gone the distance.

With that in mind, you’re forgiven for forgetting that what transpired in Sacramento is what tends to happen when The King doesn’t play: his teams lose. A lot.

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The loss to the Kings marked the 12th straight game that his team has lost whenever he’s been out of the lineup, a losing streak that dates all the way back to the 2015-16 regular season. The last time his team won a game without him was on March 16, 2016 when the Cavaliers snuck by the Mavericks 99-98 but not before kissing goodbye an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter.

How long ago was that for the franchises involved? Cleveland was still awaiting its first NBA title, Deron Williams started at point guard for the Mavericks and Luka Doncic had just turned 17.

Going beyond merely this recent stretch, how have LeBron’s teams done over the course of his entire career? We’re glad you asked.

Season Team W-L Without LeBron W-L With LeBron
2018-2019 Lakers 0-1 20-14
2017-2018 Cavaliers 0-0 50-32
2016-2017 Cavaliers 0-8 51-23
2015-2016 Cavaliers 1-5 56-20
2014-2015 Cavaliers 3-10 50-19
2013-2014 Heat 2-3 52-25
2012-2013 Heat 5-1 61-15
2011-2012 Heat 1-3 45-17
2010-2011 Heat 1-2 57-22
2009-2010 Cavaliers 1-5 60-16
2008-2009 Cavaliers 0-1 66-15
2007-2008 Cavaliers 0-7 45-30
2006-2007 Cavaliers 3-1 47-31
2005-2006 Cavaliers 3-0 47-32
2004-2005 Cavaliers 1-1 41-39
2003-2004 Cavaliers 2-1 33-46

Add it all up and his teams are just 23-49 in games he’s missed, a win percentage of .319 that equates to a 26-win pace. Over the last 12 years, the only team that’s had a winning recor with him out is the 2012-13 Heat that featured Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, both of whom were still All-Stars.

Time will tell how these young Lakers fare without James whose averages of 27.3 points 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists aren’t exactly easy to replace. You can make an argument that perhaps no four or five game stretch by any team this season carries a heavier weight.

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If history holds serve and the Lakers youth falters, perhaps we’ll come to the consensus that they just aren’t yet ready to contend.

But if they respond and hold down the fort convincingly, perhaps the Lakers will be respected not simply as a team yearning for tomorrow, but a team ready to win now.

Leandro Fernández

Leandro Fernández Photo

Editor en Jefe de las ediciones en español de The Sporting News. 15 años de experiencia en el mundo del periodismo deportivo, con pasos previos por Clarín, Olé, e incluyendo más de 3 años construyendo y desarrollando los sitios oficiales de NBA.com en Argentina, España y México. Ahora parte de TSN. Si existe un Fantasy de NBA, seguramente él lo ganó.