LeBron James made it clear after Tuesday night’s game that his availability moving forward will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Speaking with Dave McMenamin, James addressed his status bluntly when asked about Wednesday’s matchup against the Spurs.
“Every back-to-back for the rest of the season is TBD [to be determined],” said James. “I am 41, I got the most minutes in NBA history, bank it right now. What are we talking about?”
The comments came after the Lakers’ matchup with the Pelicans, where James logged 30 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and one block on 52.6% shooting and 60.0% shooting from three. Behind his performance, along with a 30-point, 10-assist night from Luka Doncic, the Lakers came out on top with a 111-103 win, extending the streak to three games.
“We ended the third quarter pretty good, and DK had a really great look to end the third,” James said. “We just missed it. We didn’t box out toward the end of the third, which gave them an and-one, but the fourth quarter is winning time and we gotta make our imprint to start the quarter. It was a good start and we were able to withstand the run.”
“You can make up for mistakes when you’re communicating and things break down,” James added. “So I thought we did a good job of helping each other in the fourth quarter. Trey Murphy is a hell of a player and he was able to get loose in the second half, but we were able to clean the glass in the second half, unlike the first half.”
“I try to give my love and passion for the game back to the fans,” James said after the game. “I don’t know how many opportunities I’ll get to play in front of fans, either on the road or at home, so it’s humbling and I’m grateful for the real fans who appreciate the way I play the game.”
Defense has been a recurring issue this season, but the Lakers delivered a strong showing against New Orleans, holding the Pelicans to 103 points on 44.0% shooting. Offensively, it was the LeBron and Luka show, as the duo combined for 60 points in arguably their best game together.
As for LeBron’s status in back-to-backs, it’s not the strategy we’re used to seeing from him. Still, he has earned the right to take things one day at a time after 22 years in the NBA. At this point, his body is unpredictable, and playing every game is no longer a given.
In a season where he has already missed significant time, the Lakers are not going to risk another setback. With James still playing at a high level, averaging 21.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 51.1% shooting and 30.6% from three, preserving his health has become more important than ever.
