At nearly 39 years old, LeBron James is doing some ridiculous stuff for the Lakers this season. Currently leading the charge on a promising season, James is looking better than he ever has and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle even went so far as to say that LeBron hasn’t even left his prime yet.
“LeBron James is in his prime still. I mean I’m watching the guy last night and it’s phenomenal,” said Carlisle. “Someone just gave me this stat: He’s the only player who’s been the youngest player in the league and oldest. Speaks to an amazing run of longevity.”
Rick Carlisle: “LeBron James is in his prime still.”
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) December 8, 2023
The words came after the Pacers clinched a spot for the in-season tournament finals, and their matchup against LeBron and the Lakers (who have been dominating the tournament so far) is set for tomorrow at 8:30 pm Eastern time. Even so, Carlisle has no problem recognizing the brilliance of LeBron James, who has been absolutely unstoppable in his 21st season. Whether or not he’s at his prime, however, is still up for debate considering LeBron’s impressive track record of excellence.
NBA Fans Debate On LeBron’s Prime
Averaging 25.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game on 55% shooting, this certainly qualifies as LeBron’s best season as a Laker, and that’s already impressive enough at 38 years old. This season, he’s been far and away the Lakers’ best and most consistent player — and while it’s nothing new for LeBron, nobody predicted it would still be like this after 20 years in the league.
On social media, many fans still didn’t know what to make of this miraculous run. But there are plenty who agree that James is still in his prime, even if his athleticism has declined.
https://twitter.com/iamhodler_/status/1733218172252062197
Of course, others were much more hesitant to call this version of LeBron his peak form. As good as he’s been offensively, LeBron was an objectively better defender in his youth and he hasn’t been able to match that ability in the later stages of his career.
He’s like 10% of prime lebron ngl
— Pablo (@THELIFEOFPABLOx) December 8, 2023
Over his 20+ year career, LeBron has made plenty of enemies on the court but fans were happy to see one of his longtime opponents giving him the credit that he deserves.
A coach who respects LeBron and doesn’t throw shade or insults unlike Mike Malone unprofessional ass
— ²³𝙻𝚎𝙱𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚜🏀☄️🌎💞 (@BronGotGame) December 8, 2023
It’s truly unprecedented what LeBron is doing after 20 seasons, and his battle with Father Time is reaching uncharted territory. And while we all know that King James cannot play forever, LeBron is proving that he has the strength and will to go out on his terms.
https://twitter.com/yaboybryanp2go/status/1733234891943444880
With all eyes on Saturday’s game, LeBron has the chance to make history by winning the first-ever in-season tournament championship. It could mark another career milestone for the Lakers star, but he’ll have to be at his best to get a win against the red-hot Pacers. Fortunately, he’s been at the top of his game recently.
Lakers Are Competing For The Title
After a rocky start to the season, the Lakers are stabilizing around the play of LeBron James and the defensive impact of Anthony Davis. The Lakers, who are 14-9 amid a three-game win streak, rank 5th defensively and only allow 110.7 points per game. On the other end, the Lakers have been far from perfect but the performance of James this season has carried them to some impressive victories.
For now, it’s still too early to say if the Lakers should be favored to win the West but they certainly have as good a chance as anyone in the league with LeBron James playing at this level.
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