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Luka Doncic on LeBron's injury: "Our mentality gas got to be next man up"
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- Luka Doncic on LeBron's injury: "Our mentality gas got to be next man up"
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Luka Doncic will open the 2025-2026 NBA season without his fellow superstar LeBron James , who is suffering from sciatica on his right side. Reports say that James is expected to miss three to four weeks of action at the start of the season.
Many are saying that his injury is a tell-tale sign that Father Time is finally catching up to him as he enters his 23rd season this year.
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Meanwhile, for Doncic and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers , Bron's unfortunate injury is an opportunity to prove that they can hold down the fort even without the all-time leading scorer.
However, it will be a challenging feat. Regardless, Doncic expects the team to always be prepared to step up in LeBron's absence and do whatever it takes to win.
"It's a big change. He's a great player. He can help us a lot," he told reporters in a media scrum. "But at the end of the day, our mentality needs to be next man up."
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Redick still hasn't decided on the new starting five
James' absence will obviously be a massive setback for the Lakers , who are eyeing a strong start to the season against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21st.
With James sitting out at least until the end of October, all eyes are on head coach JJ Redick as he decides on the proper roster adjustments. Redick, who is entering his second year with the Lakers, said he still has not decided on the starting lineup.
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"You hope that he's back soon," Redick told the media. "Those things can be tricky. It is unclear what the starting lineup is going to be, that's the reality, until he is back. We'll have to figure that out."
As the Lakers hope for James' speedy return, Luka said the team will continue to work hard in practice, expressing confidence in the players available to them.
"We've got a group of guys that's been practicing and hopefully LeBron can join us as soon as possible," he said. "We obviously need him, but our mentality has got to be next man up."
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Many expect Doncic to be the "next man up" but he rejects the notion, especially now that L.A. has improved its depth in the offseason. He said he just wants to contribute to winning basketball in whatever way he can.
"I don't think that," he said. "I just want to play basketball, nothing less, nothing more. Whatever it takes to win."
Luka is building chemistry
With Los Angeles missing a crucial piece in James, who recently missed the team's sixth full training camp, chemistry is now more critical than ever. This is especially true for Luka, who was unexpectedly traded midway through the 2024-2025 season by the Dallas Mavericks .
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To do this, he brought his teammates to a Porsche Driving Experience a few days ago after wrapping up practice.
New Lakers center Deandre Ayton expressed his gratitude to Luka, who bested him in the 2019 Rookie of the Year race, for the unique experience .
"Everybody liked it," Doncic said . "I think everybody had a great time, spending time together, it was fun."
King James, who is 40 years old, has proven his timeless legend in recent years, cheating Father Time for over a decade now. But if this "old-man" injury tells us anything, it's that LeBron cannot outrun the inevitable.
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For now, as James recovers, the Lakers will rely on the next man up. Whether it'll be Doncic or another player, it doesn't matter as long as they help grab the victory.
Related: Luka Doncic reveals two favorite plays from his entire NBA career
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 12, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
