Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham told NBA reporters after the purple and gold lost to the Denver Nuggets on opening night that he plans to limit superstar LeBron James’ minutes to begin the season, but guard Austin Reaves doesn’t think “it changes anything.”
“I don’t think it changes anything,” Reaves told Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report. “We still have to go out there and play basketball the right way. I’m sure there’s nights where Bron is feeling really well and plays a little more and others when he plays a little less. But at the end of the day, all he cares about is winning. And that’s all we care about as a team.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
LeBron, who is 38 years old, played 29 minutes against the Nuggets. The four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP finished with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists while shooting 10-of-16 from the field, 1-of-4 from beyond the arc and 0-of-1 from the free-throw line. The Lakers lost to the Nuggets by 12 points on the road.
“Listen, I mean, I always want to be on the floor. Especially when you got an opportunity to win a game or you feel like you can make an impact,” LeBron said after the game. “But this is the system in place and I’m going to follow it.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Reaves didn’t have the best shooting night versus the Nuggets, going 4-of-11 from floor for 14 points. The rising star will have to play better moving forward for the Lakers to win games since LeBron is on a minutes restriction.
The 25-year-old Reaves signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Lakers this offseason in restricted free agency. He has developed a good rapport with LeBron and Anthony Davis on the court.
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