Never in LeBron James’ career has it looked quite like this.
James walked onto the court as a starter, just like he has 1,332 times before, only Tuesday in Houston, he not only had to be his team’s best player, he needed to be its biggest.
Forced into examining one of the few options that makes the Lakers look drastically different, the team started James at center, firmly committing to the small-ball style of play that’s yielded the most positive results this season.
It wasn’t perfect — the Lakers have been anything but — however, James and the team finally found a way to win, beating the Rockets 132-123 to end a five-game losing streak. James, who has been sensational over the last two weeks, finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.
Russell Westbrook, 10-day contract player Stanley Johnson, Malik Monk and Avery Bradley joined James in the starting lineup, easily one of the strangest fives he has started a game alongside.
Only Johnson didn’t finish in double figures — the Lakers got 24 points from Carmelo Anthony — but everyone in the rotation made plays. Monk, in his second game back from the COVID-19 protocols, scored 25. And Westbrook, fresh off a four-for-20 shooting performance, rebounded to make 10 of 17 shots as he recorded another triple-double with 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
Fittingly, the plan to downsize came against the Rockets, who once eschewed conventional centers to play small in order to create better driving lanes for then-Rocket Westbrook. In part because of Westbrook’s presence on this Lakers roster, teams have been able to pack the paint against the Lakers, making them play inside of a shoebox instead of an open, balanced floor.
It wasn’t just creative inspiration. It was also necessity.
Stricken with a COVID-19 outbreak that still has regulars like Trevor Ariza and Austin Reaves out of the rotation and coach Frank Vogel working from a couch and a month-long absence from Anthony Davis while he nurses a knee injury, the Lakers were running out of choices.
Starting in Minnesota, when Davis originally sprained the MCL in his knee, the team had lost five straight games, pushing the Lakers below .500 with the meanest part of their schedule still ahead of them.
But even with the Lakers undermanned, James is the ultimate mismatch, and by using him as the team’s center, the Lakers can dictate the style of the game.
Against the Rockets, it meant tons of pace — and ultimately, not a lot of defense.
The teams traded turns pushing into the paint without a lot of resistance. Earlier in December, Vogel declared the “open” man the most talented on the court. On Tuesday in Houston, talent was everywhere — because defenders were nowhere.
One of the exceptions was Bradley, returning to the starting lineup after his bout with COVID-19. Bradley was cleared to play on Christmas against Brooklyn but required more time before returning to action.
Bradley’s 14 points, a handful coming early in the third quarter, helped give the Lakers a quick burst out of halftime.
Dan Woike reported remotely from Los Angeles.
UP NEXT
AT MEMPHIS
When: Wednesday, 5 p.m. PST
On the air: TV: Spectrum SportsNet, NBA TV; Radio: 710, 1330
Update: The Lakers finally have a little momentum after a strong offensive performance in Houston, but it will be tough to play small against the Grizzlies’ frontcourt size anchored by 7-foot veteran Steven Adams. Memphis has pushed to the top of the second tier in the Western Conference and has, functionally, become the team the Lakers are chasing at this point in the season. Fourth in the West, the Grizzlies have Ja Morant back and plenty of firepower, making them a contender to host a first-round series if they continue to play this way through the second half of the season.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.