Playing with LeBron James is very easy for almost every player in the NBA, but going at it with the King also has a big prize.
JR Smith recently talked about the big pressure players endure when they join forces with the 4x NBA champion.
“Honestly, it’s a gift and a curse playing with Bron. I love Bron to death, and I love playing on his team because, for me, I feel like I thrive more under the pressure,” Smith said via Game Theory with Bomani Jones. “But a lot of guys don’t like it because it can go one of two ways. It’s either, what did you not do to help him win, and who else did not help him win. It’s like, bro, don’t get me wrong—yes, he had 40-15-9 or 8—but he missed a free throw, too.”
Smith adds that you need to be a certain individual to take all of that and not crunch, as LeBron’s name always brings a lot of attention to them, especially if they’re not performing well.
“And I think for a lot of guys, it’s hard to — especially with the day and age we in, social media… we got analysts running around talking crazy,” said Smith. “And you playing on that team and I think they’re [the Lakers] what, 12th or 13th? And they are still the most talked-about team on TV. So, it’s always going to be that supporting cast of who’s not doing what… if you’re not built for that, you’re not made for that, it’s going to eat you alive.”
"He missed a free throw too. Don't just look at me because I missed a open shot. We all missin' out here!"
J.R. Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) on the pressure of playing with LeBron James. pic.twitter.com/lhBj896YqA
— Game Theory with Bomani Jones (@GameTheoryHBO) March 7, 2023
The NBA media can be ruthless sometimes, and Smith learned that the hard way after he missed an open layup in the 2018 NBA Finals. He had the chance to win Game 1 of that series and turn things in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ favor, but he made a huge mistake, giving away the win, and the series.
JR Smith Explained What Happened During His 2018 NBA Finals Blunder
Smith has talked about this before, explaining what happened during that infamous moment and why he did what he did. He blamed everybody except himself for that play, saying that the rest of the team could do more than they did.
In the end, the Cavs lost that game in overtime and were swept by the Warriors after that. Smith was heavily criticized for that play, but he later found redemption, winning his second NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
It’s not easy to be a LeBron James teammate, but when the King values somebody, that player will get a lot better on the court. He’s played with a lot of stars over the years, but in some cases, things didn’t work out for them. Now, he’s joined by Anthony Davis, trying to lead the Los Angeles Lakers back to the NBA Finals.
The Lakers appear to have a solid team now to compete with once LeBron is back from injury, but it remains to be seen if things stay this way for the rest of the season.
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