3 More Games Lakers Should Rest LeBron James to Prepare for Playoff Run

In what has been a successful but emotionally trying season for the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James is leading the league in assists as his Lakers are positioned to take home the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Knowing this, Frank Vogel is managing James' workload by sitting him for the Lakers' game against the Golden State Warriors Thursday. With the Lakers expected to coast to a high seed, fans attending any one of these three games should brace for the possibility that No. 23 doesn't play at all.

3. Mar. 30 @ Timberwolves

This is the last game in a six-game road trip during which Minnesota is the westernmost team Los Angeles plays. D'Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns can ball, but Minnesota is going nowhere this season and they won't provide much of a challenge to Anthony Davis and the Lakers with or without James in the lineup. This is screaming DNP-Rest.

2. Apr. 8 vs Bulls

The Bulls have plenty of exciting young players to watch, but Jim Boylen is bungling the growth of Coby White and Lauri Markkanen, among others, in utterly hilarious fashion. This has led to yet another season that likely will not end in a playoff appearance for Chicago. This will be game No. 4 in a six-day stretch for the Lakers, with a Clippers matchup the day after this one. There is almost no chance the King plays in this one.

1. Apr. 15 @ Suns

This is the final game of the season. By this point, seeding will have already been decided as it pertains to where the Lakers will end up, so there is little point in putting any of the big heavy hitters out there. Vogel can see what he has in younger unknowns like Talen Horton-Tucker while giving the likes of James and Davis a little R&R as they sit out a matchup against Devin Booker and the improved Suns.