After the Lakers, missing James, defeated the third-ranked Eastern team, the Knicks yesterday, some people began to hype up. They wildly claim that the Lakers are better without James. The data they argue revolves around the team's performance when the Lakers' three stars play together.

According to statistics, this season when the Lakers' three stars are on court together, the record is 11 wins and 7 losses, with a win rate of 61.1%. When Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are on court while James is absent, the record is 9 wins and 2 losses, with a win rate of 81.8%; when Doncic and James are on court while Reaves is absent, the record is 12 wins and 8 losses, with a win rate of 60%; when Reaves and James are on court while Doncic is absent, the record is 3 wins and 2 losses, with a win rate of 60%.

This season, the Lakers' record against teams with a win rate above 60% is 4 wins and 12 losses. In these four wins, James did not play. Against the top four teams in the East and West, their record is 4 wins and 11 losses. When James is on court, the Lakers are 0 wins and 7 losses; when James is off court, the Lakers are 4 wins and 4 losses.

So, are the Lakers without James really a strong team? Is James dragging down the Lakers? The fact that the Lakers won while the 41-year-old James was injured and absent should be a good thing, but some people have twisted its meaning.

Former NBA player Paul Pierce stated on the podcast "No Fouls Given": "Luka and LeBron's skill sets are too similar; they simply cannot complement each other. Because if LeBron isn't holding the ball controlling the tempo and leading the offense, the whole situation feels awkward and unnatural. Moreover, at 41 years old, he becomes a defensive liability. Frankly, that's the reality."

NBA reporter Brian Windhorst also jumped in on the "First Take" program, saying: "When LeBron doesn't play, and Reaves and Doncic are on court, the Lakers perform better. The data shows that when Luka and Reaves play together, the Lakers are a very good team."

However, there are still more rational voices who can't stand this.

Former Lakers reporter Jovan Buha commented: "From a visual perspective, the Lakers seem to perform better when only two of the three stars are on court. If the Lakers lose after LeBron returns, there will be舆论 like 'the Lakers are worse with LeBron' and 'it's all LeBron's fault.' But I don't agree. I just think the Lakers still haven't fully figured out how to maximize the trio when they are all on court together."

DeMarcus Cousins spoke up for James on "Run It Back": "I don't agree with this notion (that the Lakers are better without James). We're talking about LeBron, a historically great player. I dislike this kind of talk about him. Obviously, the Lakers are looking forward and focusing on the future, which is fine, but the ongoing belittling of LeBron and the possibility that this might be his last year with the Lakers, I think that's wrong."

"LeBron deserves more respect. Whether he plays or not, I don't think the Lakers are a championship contender. They still have many gaps to fill. I just dislike this continuous贬低LeBron的论调. I believe he adds value to any team, and he has performed excellently throughout his career."

Today, the Lakers held training and took a team photo. JJ Redick revealed in an interview that James attended the team's video analysis session today but did not participate in training. His current status remains day-to-day observation.

So far this season, in games James has played, the Lakers' record is 26 wins and 18 losses, with a win rate of 59.1%. In games he missed, the Lakers' record is 13 wins and 7 losses, with a win rate of 65%.

What do these data indicate? Do they prove the Lakers truly become stronger without James? If they really had no James, would the Lakers immediately soar and go for a championship?

Would the Lakers dare to play in the playoffs without James? Probably not. Which team would underestimate James? Especially a 41-year-old James. Past experience shows that James is the most reliable one in the playoffs. Doncic and Reaves can ensure the Lakers'下限, but only James can raise the Lakers'上限, helping the team go further in the playoffs!