LeBron James and The Los Angeles Lakers are headed into the Play-In Tournament, re-matching with their opponents from Monday’s game, the New Orleans Pelicans. Playing heavy minutes on the occasion over 38 minutes, LeBron put on a show with 28 points, 11 rebounds and 17 assists. After the game, the media raised concern surrounding his minutes, contemplating if the 39-year-old will be ready to come play-in/playoff time.
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Veteran Journalist Aliie Clifton came to LeBron’s rescue, assuaging fans’ concerns surrounding James’s form. Clifton talked about the matter further on FS1’s sports show “Undisputed”. Talking to her fellow panellists on the show, Clifton said,
“You just read those numbers, 35[ minutes] a game, 16th most in the NBA, for a guy that is 39 years old in season 21, it’s very impressive. It’s also the fourth fewest of his career. I thought it was interesting that we are having this conversation here at the end of the season when going back to that first game in Denver a lot of talk was about managing his minutes.”
.@RealAClifton isn’t concerned about LeBron’s heavy minutes heading into Play-In:
“LeBron ramps it up. This is getting himself in the right mental space to handle games like yesterday.” pic.twitter.com/45i43dgh33
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) April 15, 2024
Clifton correctly pointed out that a lot of the buzz surrounding James at the start of the season was about James’s minutes, as he became the oldest player in the league, entering his 21st season. The Lakers did put James on a minutes restriction at the start of the season, but as soon as the Lakers record started tanking, LeBron’s resting plan went out the window.
But there is a method to LeBron’s madness, and that has a lot to do with his work behind the curtains. Talking about this very aspect Clifton continued her analysis, mentioning the following about James,
“But I think the body of work this season alone, the way in which LeBron and his right-hand man, who has been with him his entire career Mike Mancius has continued around the clock to invest in the body, mentally and physically has put him in the position that he is in now. “
The veteran analyst further pointed out that this postseason wasn’t LeBron’s first rodeo, highlighting LeBron’s playoff experience. In fact, LeBron has played the most playoff games in league history, racking up 282 appearances in his 21-year-long career.
LeBron James awaits tough match-up with Pelicans
LeBron James is not easing up after recently defeating the Pelicans, 124-108. The 4x champion is already expecting a tough match come Tuesday, as he sang words of caution during his post-game press conference.
Talking about the rematch with Zion and The Pelicans, James had the following to say,
” Tuesday’s game is going to be extremely hard, extremely difficult, extremely physical…. So they’re going to be extremely ready for us and we have to come in with the same sense of urgency that we had the previous game.”
LeBron is well aware that anything can happen in the postseason. He himself led a historic comeback against the Golden State Warriors back in 2016, beating a 3-1 deficit with the Cavaliers, becoming the first team to do so in league history.
We can be sure that James will show up ready to play come Tuesday night, but his running mate Anthony Davis might be a bigger question mark for the contest, as the Big man injured his back during the Lakers’ recent contest with the Pelicans.
