The Los Angeles Lakers outlasted the Los Angeles Clippers Friday night to even up the season series at two wins a piece, and a major key to the Lakers' success was that they were able to operate with all their stars intact for the first time in what seems like a long time. 

LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic have all been special for the Lakers this season, but the trio have also all dealt with various injuries throughout the season that's kept them each out for different periods of time.

They've seemingly traded injuries, with one star coming back and another star having to sit out for days or weeks at a time, but what they demonstrated on Friday is that in the rare moments where all three have been on the court, they've been an exceptional team. 

Luka Doncic made his return from a hamstring injury that sidelined him since Feb. 5 and didn't miss a beat, leading the lakers in scoring with 38 points on 11-25 shooting while adding six rebounds and 11 assists.

Reaves followed with 29 points on 9-15 shooting and James tied with Deandre Ayton for third on the team in scoring with 13 points, while adding 11 assists of his own. 

Having the health of all three stars was crucial in the lakers' tight win, but it almost didn't happen. James played through knee soreness on Friday's game and Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed that James was dealing with a migraine ahead of Friday's game as well, though neither ailments kept him off the court.

"He fought through a lot today. The knee soreness, he probably doesn't want me to share but he was dealing with a migraine as well pregame," Redick said (via The Sporting Tribune). "He rings the bell over and over. That's what he does."

James has dealt with a number of injuries this season, something that unfortunately comes with the territory that only James occupies of playing at a high level in the NBA at 41 years old.

His start to the season was delayed due to issues with sciatica, and even if he plays in all of the Lakers' remaining 26 games, he would still have only played in 62 games, one of the lowest game totals in his career.

James isn't relied on for his scoring nearly as much as he has been on past teams, but he's still a crucial presence on the court. His vision and basketball IQ makes him a vital playmaker for the Lakers and he adds a physical presence on the court that frees up Doncic and Reaves to take over the game with their own scoring. 

That's why James playing through his injuries has been so helpful for the Lakers, but the fact that he's been able to withstand his physical issues, particularly in Friday's game, speaks to the grit and toughness that James still possesses 23 seasons into his stories career.