Getty LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James suffered a loss on his latest return to Cleveland, but with the Los Angeles Lakers sitting 13th in the Western Conference, he remained as committed to winning as ever.
“I’m still playing at an extremely high level…I’m not out there to f*** around. What would I do that for? Me and (Tom) Brady. We’re the same people. We out there for championships,” LeBron told reporters while answering questions in the visitor’s locker room.
Bron goes coast-to-coast! 👑
LeBron, 37, is still among the most talented players in the NBA. A versatile forward who can handle the rock, score from all three levels and defend at an elite level. Despite his increasing age, the Akron native is still averaging 25.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 6.4 assists on 46.6% shooting from the field, 33.1% shooting from deep, and 71.8% at the free-throw line.
Having recently inked a two-year extension with the Lakers, it’s clear LeBron continues to believe he’s in the best spot to challenge for another championship, despite the Lakers missing out on the playoffs last season and suffering a first-round exit in the 2020-21 season. Of course, if Los Angeles is going to make good on LeBron’s commitment to them, they will need to continue stacking wins and working toward a guaranteed playoff spot throughout the rest of the current season.
Darvin Ham Believes Davis’ New Role Helps LeBron
LeBron might be playing at an elite level, but the fact remains that his body is aging, and as such, the Lakers coaching staff need to be mindful of the workload on his shoulders. Fortunately for both the team and LeBron, Anthony Davis has re-emerged this season and is leading the line with some exceptional performances – leading LeBron to take a step back in role.
When speaking to the media on December 4, head coach Darvin Ham explained why Davis’ new mindset and his role as the focal point of Los Angeles’ offense will have a good effect on LeBron’s ability to impact games moving forward.
“He [AD] wants to be that guy for the team… I’m just thrilled by the way he’s been playing.” Darvin Ham on @AntDavis23‘s performance.
“I’ve been putting AD’s name on it, since day one. And it does help Bron, it allows him to be more efficient with his energy, more efficient with his workload. There are times where again, we can go through AD and just feed AD, feed AD, feed AD, and we’re not worried about LeBron having to be a world-beater or trying to make plays through three or four people. And Russ is in the same boat, allowing him to be able to play more freer,” Ham said.
The hope is that by placing a slightly higher workload on Davis’ shoulders, the Lakers can enter the off-season with LeBron feeling slightly fresher, which should have a significant impact on his ability to impact proceedings when the games become more physical.
LeBron is Willing to Accept New Role
During a November 30 post-game press conference, LeBron addressed the notion of him becoming a secondary option for the Lakers in the hope that it allowed Davis to sustain his current level of play.
“I don’t have to rely on super duper athleticism to be effective.” – LeBron James shares his thought on his game evolving throughout the years and Russell Westbrook’s infectious energy.
“We won a championship together. I think this is what, year four for us? I think, Maybe? I don’t need to have a talk with AD about if I come back you need to defer. No. AD be AD, and we’ll figure it out around him. I’ll figure it out, I’m ok with that, and I can do that. But, we’re gonna keep the ball in AD’s hands, and when he’s rebounding like he did tonight, he’s blocking shots, super engaged. It’s our job as a lot of the ball handlers, mine, Dias, Austin, Russ, to get him the ball, and we did that tonight,” LeBron said.
Now, the Lakers will be hoping that LeBron and Davis can continue to be one of the NBA’s premier duos and can help guide the team back to the playoffs and help them sustain a deep run toward a championship.