LeBron, Davis held out of preseason opener vs. T-Wolves
LeBron James and Anthony Davis won't play in the Los Angeles Lakers' first preseason contest Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, head coach JJ Redick announced, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
They're both being rested. Redick cited their time with Team USA this summer and the Lakers' recent practice schedule as factors in his decision, according to Mike Trudell of Lakers.com.
The first-year head coach said Thursday that James and Davis would play at some point over the weekend.
The duo spent most of the offseason with USA Basketball. The 39-year-old James made his first Olympic appearance in 12 years and was one of two flag bearers for the United States.
He averaged 14.2 points, 8.5 boards, and 6.8 assists to lead the Stars and Stripes to another gold medal. Meanwhile, Davis chipped in 8.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, two assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game through six contests. James was named tournament MVP and selected to the All-Star Five.