The Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of quite a slump right now. After being embarrassed by Phoenix, they’ve gone on to barely beat the Toronto Raptors on a last-second buzzer beater and then get blown out by the Boston Celtics the next night. 

This has coincided with some poor play from LeBron James, as well as the absence of Luka Dončić for the last two games due to his being in Slovenia for the birth of his second child. 

More: Lakers reveal plans for Luka Doncic’s return following the birth of his daughter

LeBron, on the other hand, missed the second night of a back-to-back in Boston due to a lingering foot issue as well as the sciatica that ailed him early this season. 

Tonight, the Lakers will look to get back on track against the Philadelphia 76ers. The last time LA won a game in Philadelphia, their head coach, JJ Redick, was a member of the 76ers’ roster. 

Tonight, we got injury designations for both LeBron and Luka in Philly. 

Luka Dončić and LeBron James both set to play

After welcoming his second child, Luka Dončić will officially be back in the lineup for the Purple and Gold tonight. His presence, as usual, has been sorely missed in his absence. 

🚨 Luka Doncic is AVAILABLE tomorrow vs. Philadelphia, per the Lakers pic.twitter.com/LPzg1sSQlh

— LakersMuse (@LALMuse) December 6, 2025

Dončić has been the driving force of this team, averaging 35.3 PPG (1st in NBA), 8.9 APG (4th in NBA), and  8.9 RPG. Athletes tend to play well after the birth of a child, too, so we might even see a vintage Luka Magic performance tonight. 

LeBron James, on the other hand, has had a rough season. He’s missed many games, is on the cusp of no longer qualifying for All-NBA honors, and recently just lost his incredible streak of scoring 10+ points. 

More: LeBron James’ greatest record comes to a close

After missing the last game in Boston, it seems as though LeBron James will return to the lineup tonight. 

Lakers say LeBron James (right sciatica and left foot joint arthritis) has been upgraded to PROBABLE for tonight’s game at Philadelphia.

— Trevor Lane (@TrevorLane) December 7, 2025

The Lakers will have all of their ‘big three’ in action tonight as they try to get a win where they seemingly are forbidden to.

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