Winners of the Magic in difficulty this Monday, the Lakers were once again able to count on the exploits of LeBron James at the end of the match. The King also took the opportunity to clarify for good his management, which has been debated since the start of the season.
Although the years may pass, he retains an immense importance in the play of his team. At almost 39 years old, LeBron James remains one of, if not the main leader of the Lakers. A role that he particularly plays in the money-time of the various matches he has played this season. Against the Magic this Monday, he once again showed his composure to offer his team a narrow victory (106-103):
https://twitter.com/TheHoopCentral/status/1719215510720819460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1719215510720819460%7Ctwgr%5E7be7926994fd3d44d87d043ff42a5fd6f44d20e6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.parlons-basket.com%2F2023%2F10%2F31%2Fnba-en-plein-doute-lebron-regle-cash-sa-situation-aux-lakers%2F
LeBron finally reveals the Lakers’ plans for him
The weather was forecast to be uncertain for the second match of this back-to-back, but LeBron indeed held his place and generally delivered a contrasting performance. Discreet and clumsy for three quarters (10 points, 3/11 shooting, 3 turnovers), he finally stood out at the best of times. Moreover, he took the liberty of indicating at the end of the meeting that this type of scenario risks repeating itself:
https://twitter.com/LakersNation/status/1719231411427967040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1719231411427967040%7Ctwgr%5E7be7926994fd3d44d87d043ff42a5fd6f44d20e6%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.parlons-basket.com%2F2023%2F10%2F31%2Fnba-en-plein-doute-lebron-regle-cash-sa-situation-aux-lakers%2F
LeBron indicates that the trend which sees him play fewer minutes in the first three quarters and more in the fourth should a priori continue in the next matches.
A compromise that seems to satisfy everyone at the Lakers, including LBJ who obviously wants to be on the floor in hot moments.
As a reminder, Darvin Ham and the Angelino coaching staff wish to spare their veteran as much as possible for his 21st season. A desire that the main interested party did not really share, determined to prove that time has little impact on him. In the end, it could be that the consensus mentioned above resolves the problem, knowing that the King spent less than 33 minutes on the floor in the success against Orlando.
While the question of his playing time monopolized the discussions in Los Angeles, LeBron James may have found the right formula to stay fresh without feeling frustrated. To see if this will be confirmed this Wednesday, in the derby against the Clippers.
