LeBron

James

James, who finished one rebound shy of a triple-double, had a chance to tie Friday’s game in the final seconds. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo was able to poke the ball away from behind, resulting in James’ third turnover of the night. That was the only issue for the Lakers’ forward, who shouldered more of the offensive workload with Luka Dončić in foul trouble. Over the past two weeks, LeBron has been a top-15 player in eight-cat formats.

James is good to go after sitting out Wednesday’s loss to the Spurs. His return means that Jarred Vanderbilt will head to the bench, where he offers minimal fantasy value.

LeBron was initially listed as questionable after missing Wednesday’s game but is now expected to play. Jarred Vanderbilt started that game in his place but will return to playing a role off the bench with LeBron expected back.

James did not play in Wednesday’s loss to the Spurs, which led to Jarred Vanderbilt making a spot start. Vanderbilt is more valuable as a defender than as a scorer, so he did not offer much fantasy value. James will be back in the starting lineup if he’s allowed to play on Friday.

After scoring 30 points in Tuesday’s win over the Pelicans, James will sit out the second game of the Lakers’ road back-to-back. Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt should play more minutes off the bench, with one likely moving into the starting lineup.

James is dealing with left foot joint arthritis and right sciatica, and he could be sidelined for the second leg of the Lakers’ back-to-back set after going for 30/8/8 in Tuesday’s win over New Orleans. If James is sidelined, more minutes could be available for Jarred Vanderbilt and Dalton Knecht.

James has scored at least 30 points in two of his last three games, and Tuesday’s overall stat line was a reminder of what he’s still capable of doing. The 41-year-old finished two rebounds and two assists shy of a triple-double while shooting over 50 percent from the field and not missing a free throw. Over the past two weeks, James has been a top-20 player in eight-cat formats. With Austin Reaves (calf) out for a few more weeks, LeBron boasts a higher fantasy ceiling.

James finished Sunday’s victory with his fourth double-double of the season and first since December 18. Add in his committing just one turnover, and this was an excellent night to have the 41-year-old rostered in nine-cat formats. Over the past two weeks, he has been a seventh-round player in nine-cat formats. While that still doesn’t align with his Yahoo! ADP, James is making strides after the delayed start to his season stunted his production early on.

James recorded his second 30-point game of the season on Friday, and fantasy managers will also find the rebounds and assists useful. Over the past two weeks, the 41-year-old has offered fifth-round per-game value in eight-cat formats, pushing his season-long value into the top-100. With Austin Reaves (calf) out for a few more weeks, the Lakers will have to rely even more on LeBron and Luka Dončić as they look to stay among the top teams in the Western Conference.

LeBron’s 41st birthday was not a joyous occasion for the Lakers’ star, as the Pistons took control in the third quarter and won with relative ease. Simply put, Detroit did on Tuesday night what “Father Time” has failed to do to the future Hall of Fame forward. In addition to the poor shooting, James was responsible for five turnovers, with only Luka Dončić committing more (eight). He and the Lakers will look to bounce back when they host the Grizzlies on Friday and Sunday.