The Lakers will continue to monitor LeBron James‘ minutes keep him fresh and avoid overuse, team president Magic Johnson said to SiriusXM NBA Radio (via ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk).
“We are trying to make sure that we watch his minutes but also that we don’t run everything through him because now it is Cleveland all over again and we don’t want that,” Johnson said. “We want to get up and down.”
Through 22 games this season, the 33-year-old James has averaged 34.5 minutes per game for Los Angeles. In 2017/18, James averaged 36.9 minutes for the Cavaliers as he played in a career-high 82 regular season games, plus an additional 22 postseason contests. As Youngmisuk writes, the Lakers – whose roster already featured several promising youngsters – signed a handful of veteran play-makers this offseason in an effort decrease a reliance on James.
The four-time MVP, averaging 28.1 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 6.6 APG, himself addressed finding the right balance between taking over games and deferring to his teammates, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin writes.
“That’s the challenge of things I’ve been kind of battling with since the season started,” James said after a recent win over the Pacers. “How much do I defer and allow some of our young guys to kind of try to figure it out, and how much do I try to take over games? I think tonight was one of those instances where they looked at me and they wanted me to close the game.”
At 13-9, the Lakers are currently the sixth seed in the Western Conference.
best team in the west
6th seed isn’t best
Doncic had 4 points bruh dont be salty your team got smoked
Good luck with that. LeBron has zero respect for coaches, teammates or the front office. He’s too much of a control freak to listen to anybody.
You couldn’t be more wrong. He has no respect for the front office….WRONG….Magic is one of the mans idols on and off the court! He has no respect for his teammates…wrong again..the guy is constantly hyping up these young kids, trying to build up their confidence and help guide them to being the best they can be. Maybe I’m the past what you said is true but this is different what I’m seeing from him with the Lakers.
I guess you haven’t been reading the articles about LeBron losing his patience with the young guys. Sure he’s great with Magic. He was with Griffin too. As long as you do whatever he tells you to do. This is why the Lakers have McGee, Rondo, Stephenson, and Beasley instead of Paul George.
Magic Johnson is his lapdog, and is doing everything LBJ wants. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure there’s mutual respect and admiration, but if Magic started going rogue, rest assured, LBJ would throw a hissy fit and be gone.
Proof?
Joking?
You got that right. I feel for Brandon Ingram.
Feel? It’s Ingram’s 3rd season and he’s regressed. He’s still skinny and weak. He can’t shoot. Time for the Lakers to move on and trade him!!
Bron James could pass Michael Jordan Record January 12 , 2019 when they play Cleveland By averaging 30 points the next 20 games 32,0292. Lebron JAmes 32,0293