Former NBA player Jeff Teague offered a very interesting take on LeBron James when speaking about his performances in this year’s playoffs. While discussing James’ approach to the game in an episode of “Club 520 Podcast“, Teague said:
“Bron ain’t playing for real no more. I played against LeBron enough times. He don’t give a f**k no more.”
One of the panelists highlighted his performance in Game 3, where James recorded 38 points on 55.6% shooting from beyond the arc.
Teague addressed this and said, “Y’all got to see how he killed. He shot all threes. He shot a step-back three and hit the side of the backboard. I was like, ‘Yeah, Bron ain’t playing for real.’ Because usually Bron just puts his head down and drives.”
Teague may have been referring to a particular play in Game 3 where the Lakers had a chance to tie the game with 55 seconds on the clock and six seconds on the shot clock. With the score at 113-111 in Minnesota’s favor, James opted to shoot a contested three-pointer instead of putting his head down and driving to the basket. The resultant miss had a severe impact on Los Angeles’ chances of winning the game.
“When have you ever seen Bron, in the middle of a playoff game, laughing and joking?” added Teague. “I don’t think he thinks they [Lakers] can win another one.”
Jeff Teague summed up LeBron perfectly pic.twitter.com/UK8NJmosHh
— LeBron Factory (@LeBronFactory) May 1, 2025
There is some degree of truth to what Jeff Teague said. However, it is also safe to take it with a pinch of salt.
LeBron James was one of the most difficult players to guard when he was going downhill. His large frame and athleticism allowed him to bully his way into the paint to score at will. Teague himself was at the receiving end of this as he faced off against the various iterations of the forward throughout his career.
Although this style of play brought James a lot of success, it was also evident that such a playing style wasn’t conducive to conserving stamina over time. In light of this, James started developing his shooting and cultivated a shot from beyond the three-point line to extend his effective range on offense.
Teague’s point about James not taking the game seriously anymore may not be very far from the truth. After Wednesday’s loss to Minnesota, the Los Angeles Lakers are out of the playoffs yet again. This marked the third season in a row that the 21-time All-Star was handed a first-round exit.
The causes for the loss may be attributed to a great many things, poor execution on offense, defensive indiscipline, personnel deficiencies in the frontcourt, etc. Unfortunately, it doesn’t bode well for James, who is now 40 years old, coming out of his 22nd season in the league.
James shared a rather cryptic answer regarding his future in the NBA after the loss in Game 5. Considering that he has a player option for the next season, the forward could potentially choose to retire or come back for another run at winning it all.
Whether LeBron James has another season left in him is yet to be seen. However, it is abundantly clear that the Lakers need to surround him with the right personnel if they are to be viewed as contenders next season.
