Getty LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been struggling a bit as of late. They’ve lost five of their last nine games, but support could be on the way. Anthony Davis is set to return from injury very soon, but the Lakers will have to look to win their second in a row in a tough game against the Boston Celtics – the best team in the NBA.
Boston and Los Angeles have been bitter rivals throughout the entirety of their existence, and it’s widely viewed as the biggest rivalry in league history. And ahead of their January 28 matchup, Jaylen Brown sent a message on James.
“I think that experience, you know, experience is the best teacher,” Brown explained via CLNS Media when asked about facing off against James in the playoffs early in his career. “Early on, being able to be thrown into high [intensity] moments, where everybody’s watching again, some of the best players in the world, have kind of led to cultivate the experiences that we get to see now. The growth, the amount of basketball maturity, how to win games, all of that comes into play. So it should be fun, playing against one of the, arguably the greatest player of all time in LeBron James.”
James and the Cleveland Cavaliers took on the Celtics in the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, and since then, both sides have had varying levels of success. Brown and the Celtics have been consistent faces in the playoffs, while James had led the Lakers to a championship, but since then, has failed to make a serious impact in the postseason.
Both players are playing well this season, though. James is averaging 29.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game on 50.7% shooting from the floor and 30.4% shooting from behind the three-point line. As for Brown, he’s averaging 26.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game on 48.9% shooting from the field and 33.1% shooting from distance.
Kawhi Leonard Sounds Off on LeBron James
Brown’s statement about James being one of the best players in NBA history is a sentiment shared by many around the league. After the LA Clippers’ recent win over the Lakers, Kawhi Leonard relayed a similar message when discussing James’ hunt for the all-time scoring record.
“I didn’t think of it too much until he’s gotten closer and closer,” Leonard said via Tomer Azarly of Clutch Points. “But yeah, one-of-one talent right there. I mean, you see it for yourself. The way he’s playing at this age. Definitely inspirational for everyone, just to sustain that energy and that mindset to play that long and still wanting to go out and contribute with this effort. So yeah, like I say, he’s an inspiration for everyone.”
Lakers Hint at Trade Deadline Deals
With the February 9 trade deadline approaching, the Lakers should be one of the more active teams. And after they made a trade for Rui Hachimura, Rob Pelinka hinted that there may be more moves to come.
“We’re canvassing the league on ways to get better,” Pelinka said via the United Life 4 ever YouTube channel. “Doesn’t mean our work is finished. We are going to continue to monitor the situation with 29 other teams. Our job as a front office is to always look for ways to improve our team both now and in the future.”