How Los Angeles Lakers Overcame ‘Irritated’ LeBron James
At 6-2 so far on the season, the Los Angeles Lakers look like one of the best teams in the NBA, and have done it entirely without LeBron James and partially without Luka Doncic.
Austin Reaves has played like an All-Star, both as the chief option and as a supporting player. As a result, the Lakers seem to be ahead of schedule.
With their James-less success, the Lakers have been urged by some not to mess with a good thing. Sounder minds will tell you that James is one of the most versatile players in NBA history and should be able to slot into the lineup, regardless of what the Lakers ask from him.
When the Lakers kicked off their season on a high note, James was accused of looking disengaged and negative on the bench. As the wins pile up, he seems more and more bought in.
How Los Angeles Lakers Won Over LeBron James
In the past, a “checked out” James has been detrimental to teams. As the Lakers thrived without him, making him somewhat redundant, there were concerns that he would force his way out.
As winning feels more and more sustainable, however, James appears to be the team’s top cheerleader. Not only are Reaves and Doncic stuffing the statsheet, but the Lakers are playing winning basketball. They rank 16th in defense, which isn’t elite, but is solid, especially without James.
“He was into it,” said ESPN’s Tim Legler on the All-NBA Podcast’s November 3rd episode. “He had some adrenaline to him in street clothes last couple of games.
With a better defense and plenty of scoring options, the Lakers look the part of frontrunners, giving James plenty of reason to be excited.
However, one big question remains: how does he fit on the roster once he returns from injury?
How Lakers Will Add LeBron James to the Lineup
Based on the Lakers’ success without James, it seems like he should be willing to slot into the third option role. Fans are yet to see James play this season, and there’s a very real chance that he’s still a better player than Reaves.
James could also take on a more aggressive defensive role, or he could play off-ball. However, the Lakers have found success with two dominant scorers and have been urged to stagger the lineups so two of the three are always playing.
“What’s going to look like when he comes back for Austin Reaves?” asked Legler. “Obviously, you can’t have quite the same usage. But here’s what I do think will happen, a
By staggering the stars, one will always be fresh,
Is ‘The Bachelor’s Melissa Rycroft Still Married? Her Love Life Today
Melissa Rycroft is in the news after TMZ reported on October 2 that she had been arrested on suspicion of DWI in the Dallas/Fort Worth area last month. Law enforcement sources revealed that
After the news broke, Rycroft’s lawyer told the outlet, “My client was arrested on the allegation of Driving While Intoxicated. An arrest is no indication of guilt. It is imperative that we closely examine the circumstances of this case-including the conduct of law enforcement, the toxicology results, and the facts surrounding her arrest-before any conclusions are drawn. We respectfully request that the media and the public allow the legal process to unfold, and withhold any judgment whatsoever until all of the evidence has been properly analyzed and presented in a court of law.”
Of course, the former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader is best known for her time on The Bachelor, where she was dumped by Jason Mesnick on live television after he initially proposed to her during the Season 13 finale. After the show, Rycroft reconnected with ex Tye Strickland, whom she married in 2009.
But are they still together now? Scroll down for the latest updates on her love life.
Is Melissa Rycroft still married?
Yes, Rycroft and Strickland are still married. The Dancing With the Stars
For Father’s Day 2025, she gushed, “Best decision I’ve ever made is choosing this guy to be the father of my kiddos!! They got lucky in the Dad Department for sure!! Happy Father’s Day, Tye-Bo!!”
The couple celebrated their 15-year wedding anniversary in December, and Rycroft acknowledged the occasion with a throwback photo from their wedding, which she simply captioned, “❤️ 15 ❤️.”
Does Melissa Rycroft have kids?
Yes, Rycroft and Strickland have three children. Their daughter, Ava, was born in 2011, followed by sons Beckett and Cayson in 2014 and 2016.
Ava is following in her mom’s footsteps as a dancer. She made her high school drill team earlier this year, and Rycroft marked the occasion on
How did Melissa Rycroft and Tye Strickland meet?
Rycroft and Strickland met at a party in Dallas and dated on and off before Rycroft filmed The Bachelor in the fall of 2008. When she returned home from filming, he tried to contact her, but she was engaged to Mesnick at the time and didn’t believe Strickland was serious about wanting to reconnect
After Rycroft and Mesnick’s split, she started talking to Strickland again “as a friend,” she told Us Weekly in 2020. “And three, four weeks after that, we officially got back together under the stipulation that I said, ‘This time, it’s for good,’ you know,” she revealed.
She also added, “I think having the show air, we weren’t really allowed to see each other, you know, so we just got to talk and focus on our friendship. And I think that’s what made the relationship the second time around that much stronger.”
