“LeBron James is still the no. 1 choice in a winner-take-all game”: Zach Lowe explains why the Lakers superstar is still viewed as the NBA’s biggest difference-maker by GMs and front offices

According to a recent report, LeBron James is still preferred as the no 1 go-to option during a winner-take-all game.

Despite having an early-round exit in the 2021 NBA playoffs, King James is yet the favorite of many GMs and coaches in the league.

The 36-year old suffered an ankle injury during the 2020-21 season that kept him out of the game for almost 6 weeks, the longest absence in his 18-year career.

The 4x champion didn’t look 100% during the playoffs, which led to the early ouster of the Lakers as well. Though, Anthony Davis’ groin injury was also a major reason for it.

Nonetheless, James would average 23.3 PPG, 8.0 APG, and 7.2 RPG on a 47.4% shooting from the field during the 6 games the Lakers played in the playoffs.

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James’ failure to defend his crown last year has had no impact as far as his legacy is concerned. There are numerous GMs and coaches in the league that would still put their money on the king.

LeBron James is still the no 1 choice of numerous GMs and coaches in the NBA

According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, “He’s still LeBron. He takes care of his body. A lot of GMs and coaches, maybe most, maybe half or a smidgen lower considering [Kevin] Durant’s last calendar year would draft him No. 1 for a winner-take-all game. But it might be time to apply the “if healthy’ qualifier here, too.”

Column: Around the NBA after the draft and free agency: winners, losers, everyone in between, the superstar trade landscape, much more: https://t.co/LZrVR8Bbio

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) August 11, 2021

Though James’ throne might be in danger considering Kevin Durant’s semi-final performance against the Bucks in the 2021 Playoffs, there is still a major portion of the league that believes in the abilities of the 4x Finals MVP.

Durability has been one of the major areas in which James seems to have the edge over Durant. However, when it comes to scoring, KD is extremely efficient.

Durant’s performance against the Bucks this year in the playoffs was one of a kind. The 2x Finals MVP averaged 35.4 PPG, 10.6 RPG, and 5.4 APG on a 49.7% shooting from the field and 83.3% from the free-throw line during the eastern conference semi-finals.

Also read: “LeBron James did nothing when Carmelo Anthony was unemployed and nobody wanted him”: Stephen A Smith slams Lakers star for abandoning Melo

The upcoming 2020-21 season will prove to be a clash of the titans. With LeBron James adding Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony to his squad, the Lakers now have the perfect answer to the Brooklyn Nets’ Big 3.

It would be the ultimate aspiration of basketball fans across the globe to watch these teams square off against each other in the NBA Finals.