The Los Angeles Lakers had been thriving since trading for Luka Dončić, climbing all the way to the No. 2 seed in the West. But, after LeBron James suffered a left groin strain Saturday against the Boston Celtics, the Lakers are now facing a stretch where they may be down three starters.

Former NBA star Dwight Howard did not resign with the Lakers after he helped the franchise win a title, and he claims one of his ex-teammates is responsible.

Dwight Howard is pointing fingers at LeBron James for his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers following their 2020 NBA championship run. The former three-time Defensive Player of the Year recently revealed on his podcast, "Above the Rim with DH12," that a heated on-court exchange with James during the 2019-20 season led to his exit.

Cleveland will have home-court advantage in a potential Eastern Conference Finals series against Boston and boasts a 29-4 home record as of March 6. The Celtics did win a ECF Game 7 in Miami in 2022, but they also lost one at home to the Heat in 2023, and a Game 7 in Cleveland seems like a toss-up.

Does LeBron James truly control his teammates’ careers? As fans will agree, James is considered one of the greatest players in the league’s history. His presence and influence alone have an impact that other players cannot hope to compare against.

Dwight Howard was a big reason the Lakers won the championship in the bubble back in 2020. But despite finishing ninth in Sixth Man of the Year voting that season, the eight-time All-Star was sent packing the next year.

LeBron James will decide when he will be ready to return from his groin strain, as indicated by his agent Rich Paul on ESPN.