James missed the Lakers' last three games due to a groin strain, and his absence has put a huge strain on the team. It has lost four games in a row, even though Luka Doncic explod

Luka Doncic didn't play in the Lakers' 131-126 loss at Denver Friday night, joining LeBron James on the team's lengthy list of unavailable players.

This is a crucial development for the Lakers after losing four consecutive games. The Lakers have now fallen to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference with a 40-25 record. However, as of writing, only two games separate them from the No. 2 seed Nuggets, with Denver in action on Sunday.