With the series tied at 1-1, the Los Angeles Lakers can expect a bitter fight in hostile territory for Game 3. We don’t know much about what will happen in the series, but thanks to recent leaks, we know that they are employing a strategy to wear down LeBron James over the long term.
“When Minnesota secured the No. 6 seed and locked in a first-round matchup with L.A., one of the specific aims of the Wolves’ game plan,” sources told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, “…was to limit James in transition, believing that if they force him to work in half-court sets, he could tire over the course of a long series.”
Over two games so far, LeBron has only scored once in transition – off an outlet pass from Luka Doncic. That number is far lower than you’d expect for a guy who averaged 24.4 points in the regular season and a league-high 6.0 transition points per game.
By paying special attention to LeBron and leaving a man covered on him at all times, the Minnesota Timberwolves are limiting where he gets his points and forcing him to score through their defense. The idea is that the King will expend so much energy trying to keep up offensively that he’ll be worn down by the tail end of the series.
Even in Game 1, the physicality of their defense bothered the Lakers and threw LeBron completely out of rhythm. He scored just 19 points on 44.4% shooting in the 22-point loss. The Lakers were able to adjust in Game 2 with stifling defense of their own, but James still had a rough shooting night (42.1%) in the win.
LeBron has to fight for every point he scores, and at 40 years old, with 22 years of experience in the league, one has to wonder how much longer he’ll be able to keep this up. With heavy minutes, tough defense, and constant coverage, the Timberwolves are giving LeBron everything that they have because they know how vital he is to the Lakers’ success.
The bad news for the Timberwolves is that LeBron James does not tire easily. Besides years of experience seeing all types of strategies, LeBron has figured out how to get the most out of his body, and he’s worked hard to maximize his durability as a player.
Over 22 seasons in the NBA, James has played 1,562 games, and he’s never shown any signs of cracking. His discipline, work ethic, and dedication to the craft have given him unprecedented longevity, and he’s now in a position to win his fifth NBA championship.
The Timberwolves’ strategy is working for now, but they should know that the Lakers will not let their plans go unanswered. JJ Redick will surely come up with a counter, but even if he doesn’t, LeBron James has other ways to contribute than just scoring the ball. At this stage of his career, LeBron has evolved to be someone who can do everything on the court, and he may have to take on a different role to help the Lakers get past their first NBA playoff opponent this year.
