LeBron James played the first half of the preseason game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors, after which he took it a bit too easy on the bench.
LeBron really came out in the second half wearing street clothes and eating dinner 💀
(via @itszenakeita) pic.twitter.com/6g7guS1043
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 14, 2023
NBA fans reacted to LeBron’s sideline antics.
One said James can do whatever he wants as he is the GOAT.
He’s the goat he can do anything
— Kyrie’s Hub (@kyrieshub) October 14, 2023
A fan hilariously stated that James has been cooking on the court for decades.
Let him eat, he been cooking for decades
— SportSociety (@SportSocietyUSA) October 14, 2023
A fan thinks LeBron was trying to hide behind Anthony Davis when the cameras spotted him.
Bron saying AD cover me Know 🤣🤣
— ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤 (@PlayoffJT) October 14, 2023
One fan called out James for being a bad teammate.
Pathetic teammate
— Destroying 🎭 (@DestroyingWrld) October 14, 2023
A GOAT gets special privileges, said one fan.
🐐’s get special privlages🤷♂️🤷♂️
— NKY Bracketology – Sansom Sports Media (@BracketNky) October 14, 2023
It was decided prior to the game that James would only play the first half, so he made plans for the second. I don’t see any issue with him changing and then eating on the sidelines, especially as it is just the preseason.
As for how he played in the game, LeBron had 12 points, 2 rebounds, and 5 assists in 18 minutes. The Lakers were leading 70-63 at the half but would end up second best at the end, losing 129-125.
Bronny James Was At The Game
This was the fourth preseason game for the Lakers, but the first one at home in Los Angeles. LeBron’s eldest son, Bronny, decided to attend the game and the two were seen chatting during a timeout in the second half.
LeBron and Bronny chatting during the timeout pic.twitter.com/7KLGmK3nfq
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) October 14, 2023
Bronny suffered a cardiac arrest back on 24 July 2023, but the 19-year-old seems to have made a very strong recovery. He looks set to return to action on the court at some point in the near future. As Bronny and LeBron were speaking after the game, Chris Paul also came up to them to chat with the youngster.
Bron x Bronny x CP3
Family business 🤝 pic.twitter.com/J0yCoBgTr3
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 14, 2023
Paul is actually Bronny’s godfather and would have been shocked to the core himself by the events from July. He’d be glad to see the teenager in good spirits, and the two shared a laugh together.
Darvin Ham Spoke About Load Management Plans For LeBron James
You can probably expect to see LeBron on the bench a bit more than in years past for the Lakers in the 2023-24 campaign. James is still playing at a very high level, having averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game last season, but at 38 years old, he could do with some additional rest as well.
Load management is inevitable and with LeBron exempted from the NBA’s resting rule, he and Lakers can choose to rest him as they please. Head coach Darvin Ham spoke about those load management plans for James.
“It’s a day-by-day deal. It’s been a great thing to collaborate with the medical staff and with him, myself, Rob [Pelinka]. We’ll come up with a solid plan,” Ham said, via Lakers Nation. “Again, it’s easy with him to navigate those so-called challenges of the unknown because he takes such good care of himself. Constantly preparing himself.”
“Again, not just to be available but available at the highest level, and again, we’ll just take it day-by-day and see where it goes, but just definitely him playing half of the (preseason) games. That was the plan and is the plan. We won’t waver from that, but outside of that, everything else, we’ll just take it day by day.”
In seasons past, the Lakers couldn’t have even attempted something like this, for the simple reason that they’d have collapsed without James. This current roster, however, is capable of staying afloat in his absence, as the Lakers went a solid 8-5 after LeBron went down with a foot injury in February earlier this year. He can afford to take some rest without having to worry about things going south without him.
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