With LeBron James struggling, ...

LeBron James sent the message to the Lakers from Salt Lake City. There will be no more time wasted, no more excuses and no more waiting. Sunday, James said he was about to embark on 23 of the most important regular-season games of his career — a stretch that would determine whether the Lakers would make the playoffs or be out of it for the second year in a row.

Full-speed from here on out — and if this was the first step, it was a good start. With James struggling and the Golden State Warriors’ defense locked in on Anthony Davis, the Lakers’ depth and defense was more than enough, the Lakers’ cruising to a 124-111 win out of the break. “Overall, a great team win,” coach Darvin Ham said.

The Lakers led by as many as 28 — just the ninth time they’ve led by 20 in a game this season. More importantly, it’s the second game in row the Lakers have led by 20 — another dominant performance against a playoff contender after the team blew out New Orleans last week.

“We’re still figuring it out,” Davis said. “…But it looks really good. We’re playing well, clicking and we know we don’t have much time.” The Lakers’ push comes while the team’s urgency is a stated high — a pack of playoff contenders all trying to surge with the Lakers at the rear.

The Lakers’ rotten injury bug re-surfaced late in the first quarter, newly acquired point guard D’Angelo Russell spraining his right ankle maybe the least lucky way possible — while throwing an inbounds pass.

After a Warriors made basket, Russell took the ball and stepped back beyond the end line. He didn’t see Donte DiVincenzo standing behind him, and Russell stepped on his foot, rolling the right ankle.

The Lakers ruled him out, and Dennis Schroder started the second half. X-rays were negative and Russell will be reevaluated in the morning. Russell said his ankle was a little sore but he was hopeful after some treatment that he’d feel better in the morning. “Wrong place,” he said, “wrong time.” The Warriors were without Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins.

The win showcased the entirely new makeup of the Lakers roster following the team’s Russell Westbrook trade at the deadline — a move that swapped out one player for three new pieces in the starting lineup.

On Thursday, it was Beasley’s hot shooting — he quickly scored eight points before anyone really broke a sweat — that set the tone. “Just a sniper, nonstop staying aggressive,” Ham said. The team now heads out for three games starting Sunday in Dallas — the first of their final three trips of the season.“Guys know what’s at hand,” Ham said. They know we don’t have any more time or games to waste.”