Thursday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls marked LeBron James‘ first game back in action since being sidelined with an injury. While concerns had grown regarding James’ fit alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, a convincing 142-130 victory laid all doubts to rest.
It goes without saying that LeBron James played a vital role in the win, but not in the way most would expect. While speaking with the media after the game, James opened up about the importance of sacrificing his role for the team.
“If it benefits others, it benefits the team. The team is most important. Everybody is successful when we win. So yeah, it is a sacrifice,” James admitted. “I know what I’m capable of still doing as an individual, but what’s important for this team, I’m able to adapt to what’s important for this team. And that’s the only thing that matters. Winning’s the only thing that matters.”
The decision to take a step back was a big one for LeBron James, who remains an incredibly effective player even at this stage in his career. Still, considering how the team has performed without him lately, it becomes more apparent that having him play a secondary role could prove more valuable for the team.
James ended the game with 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, an impressive stat line in every regard. Given that this allowed Austin Reaves to embrace a larger scoring role and drop a 30-point performance against the Bulls, the Lakers will be pleased with the result.
LeBron James Receives Praise For His Sacrifice
While LeBron James acknowledged the importance of sacrificing his role, JJ Redick and Austin Reaves were particularly impressed with the impact it had on the team.
During his postgame media availability, Austin Reaves praised James for embracing a secondary role, noting how vital this could be for the Lakers’ campaign moving forward.
“He’s one of the smartest guys to ever play the game of basketball,” Reaves stated. “His ability to adapt and figure out what the game needs is second to none. … When you have a player of that stature who’s willing to play the way the game needs him to play it just shows how selfless he is and just is a leader by example for everybody in this locker room.”
Like Reaves, Redick also praised James’ willingness to let Doncic and Reaves run the show even when he was on the floor. While hailing the superstar’s individual brilliance, he added:
“He certainly felt what AR and Luka feel at times. He’s been a high usage player and the No. 1 option his whole career. I know he wants to win and do everything possible to help this team win, even if it looks a little bit different. He had to make some sacrifices when we traded for Luka last year, and he understands how important it is for Luka and AR to have time on the ball.”
The Lakers boast a 10-2 record with Doncic and Reaves playing together, a noteworthy feat considering their 27-18 record with James in the lineup. Although LeBron James is averaging 21.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 7.0 assists this season, it is becoming abundantly clear that the team is more threatening when he is playing in a secondary capacity.
With a 41-25 record, the Purple and Gold are in sole possession of third place in the West. Having racked up a four-game winning streak, the Lakers would benefit from using Thursday night’s win as the template moving forward.
