Lakers News: LeBron's Ankle, Roles for New Additions, and More

It can be easy to overreact to one game, particularly a season-opener. New players. New roles. New storylines.

But drawing grand conclusions off the Los Angeles Lakers' seven-point loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night would be a fool's errand. The Lakers came out sluggish, down by 20 points seemingly before the title banner met the rafters. Paul George's 33 points were enough to stymy a comeback effort from James and Co.

The result does little to change the team's outlook as the favorite to come out of the West and win the title this season.

But the game did bring about questions and news that's worth monitoring going forward, including in a Christmas Day matchup with Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks. Here are three storylines that fall under that category

James Good for Christmas Day After Rolling Ankle

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

It was readily apparent coming into this year that LeBron James, notably obsessive about his body, would manage his way through the regular season. But after rolling his ankle in the opener, James has no plans to sit out Christmas Day.

"I turned it pretty good," James told reporters. "But I don't think it's going to stop me from playing on Friday."

It's fair to wonder whether he might have struck a different tone were this game not on Christmas Day, on which, he noted, he's never missed a game. While it may not hinder his availability against the Mavericks, it’s certainly worth monitoring going forward as the 35-year-old navigates a season mere months after a grueling title run.

Harrell and Schroder Slot in Seamlessly

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For Dennis Schroder and Montrezl Harrell, the transition to the Lakers' roster appears seamless, with both showing why they finished No. 1 and No. 2 in Sixth Man of the Year voting last season. Schroder flirted with a triple double (14 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists) while slotting into the starting point guard spot. Harrell came off the bench to score 17 points in 32 minutes, helping spur the comeback effort.

As James and Anthony Davis take a more cautious regular-season approach, Schroder and Harrell underscore their potential value in carrying the Lakers offense. They also signify a level of depth that lead many to believe this team could be better than it was a year ago.

"Those guys are going to be big-time players for us this year," Frank Vogel told reporters after the game. "I was very encouraged with what both of them bring to the table. ... Both of them are winning players are going to be big contributors for us this year."

Gasol and Matthews Struggle to Find Footing

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

On the flip side, two other acquisitions did not make as smooth of a first impression.

Neither center Marc Gasol nor wing Wes Matthews scored in a combined 23 minutes on the floor on Tuesday. In fact, they combined to take just two shots (both missed three-pointers by Matthews). It's far too soon to establish a level of concern—not to mention Los Angeles got both on reasonable deals. But look for Vogel to get one or both going in the coming days and weeks.

Gasol, who's often been a focal point of offenses during his career, noted that might require a reconsideration of what his most valuable skills will be.

"We have great players and teams are going to do different things, so I have to be involved in different ways," Gasol said, according to The Athletic. "If I have to become more of a crasher or rebounder, so be it. I'll do my best possible job of rim-running and creating and spacing gaps for the guards to drive when we have [Schroder] and [James]."