Getty LeBron James, Lakers
This was supposed to be a season in which, after a truncated 71-day offseason thanks to the reconstructed NBA COVID-19 schedule, the Lakers were going to find ways to get some rest for 36-year-old LeBron James. Instead, at 34.5 minutes per game, James is essentially averaging the same playing time he has averaged in his three seasons with the Lakers (34.8 minutes).
In fact, with a double-overtime win against Detroit on Saturday followed by a sloppy overtime win against the shorthanded Thunder on Monday, James has played 89 minutes in his past two games. He has averaged 39.0 minutes in his last eight games, and has not missed a game this season, appearing in all 25 Lakers outings.
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After Monday’s win, James ranks fifth overall in the NBA in total minutes played, at 862. It should be no surprise, then, that when a timeout came in overtime against OKC, James took a minute to have a quick rest on the scorers’ table at Staples Center. Not something you see every day:
LeBron James Leads Lakers Again
It was well-earned. All James did in the game was score 28 points with 14 rebounds and 12 assists, his second triple-double in three games. The Lakers were playing without star forward Anthony Davis, who was out with a sore Achilles’ tendon. It was the fourth game this season that Davis has missed with a minor injury.
“It’s imperfect but we enjoy wins. It’s part of our culture,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “We talk about there’s going to be some ‘frustrating wins’ that we’re going to enjoy and we’re going to learn from. Then we’re going to move on to the next game. And I think this team showed us why they’ve got seven road wins with how hard they play, and I think tonight’s game is a good lesson for what we’re going to face in two nights.
“It’s not going to be an easy game.”
Lakers’ Sloppy Play Again Leads to OT
The Lakers wound up with the W but they did trail by 11 in the fourth quarter in a sloppy performance. They trailed by three points with one second to play in regulation when Kentavious Caldwell-Pope very unwisely fouled Shai Gilgeous-Alexander behind the 3-point line, setting up the need for OT.
Meanwhile, James continued to rack up minutes. Now, the list of young stars who have not been playing as much as James is an impressive one, putting into context what the Lakers are asking of him and what he is delivering:
At 36 years old in Year 18, LeBron is averaging 34.5 minutes per game
That’s more than these young stars:
Ben Simmons
Jaylen Brown
Zion Williamson
Trae Young
De’Aaron Fox
Donovan Mitchell
Bam Adebayo
All while playing his lowest MPG ever 👑
(via @statmuse)
“Allowing ourselves to get down double-digits is not something we want to have long term,” James said. “We play with a sense of urgency. I just think it’s our demeanor and our pace is very slow to start the game. We can change that.”
They need to change it, to give James some rest rather than forcing him to compete into overtime repeatedly. He did say, though, that he could have kept going on Monday if necessary.
“I can sleep right now because the game is over. I’m decompressed now. But if we have more time to play, I’m ready to go,” James said. “I can play right now if I need to go. All I need is a warmup. I can go to the weight room and get warmed up right now.”
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