The Los Angeles Lakers couldn’t stretch the fight to keep their season alive to the final day of the season. If they did so, LeBron James probably would have ended the regular season as the oldest scoring champion in the history of the NBA. The 37-year-old ended the season with a scoring average of 30.3 points on a true shooting % of 61%.
Joel Embiid ended the season as the scoring champion after an electric end to the season, finishing with an average of 30.6 points per game. However, LeBron didn’t get a chance to stay competitive after the Lakers shut him down to heal up his ankle and knee injuries.
However, even if LeBron was healthy, it doesn’t look like the star would have elected to play the games after the Lakers were officially eliminated, and he confirmed the same during the Lakers’ exit interviews for the season.
LeBron says going after a scoring title w/o making the playoffs is "the most wackest thing ever."
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) April 11, 2022
What LeBron said will make even his most ardent detractors agree with him. If a 37-year-old who is battling injuries decides to play two meaningless games in the season to hunt for an individual accolade, nobody would have let James hear the end of it. While it is a missed opportunity, LeBron would rather have a chance at an NBA title than a scoring title.
Despite the Lakers’ season being a calamity, LeBron should get the respect he deserves for his offensive exploits this season. He is finally a consistent threat from the three-point line while finding a good balance of shots that require his athleticism to get to the rim. Even if one believes a Year 19 player is ‘stat-padding’, to do it at a league-best level is still amazing.
LeBron will be back in his 20th season next year, a remarkable achievement considering the level of play he has sustained over his entire career. But the downfall has started already, will next season be redemption for LBJ?
