"Every time I pick against them, they win" - LeBron James gives astute rationale for comparing Lakers to 5-3 Pittsburgh Steelers
LeBron James believes the Los Angeles Lakers still have much to improve on as the NBA season progresses but is not too concerned yet of their early struggles, comparing themselves to NFL side Pittsburgh Steelers.
‘The King’ made the comparison following the 120-101 manhandling they got from the Orlando Magic on Saturday. The Lakers did not get it going right off the bat, leading them to their third road defeat in as many games and to an even 3-3 record in the ongoing season.
Asked about their struggles especially to start games, LeBron James related their situation to that of the Steelers, who are currently sporting a 5-3 record in the NFL.
The four-time NBA champion said:
“We’re like the Pittsburgh Steelers right now. You know what that means? The Pittsburgh Steelers right now have not outgained or outscored any of their opponents in this season right now and yet they've got a winning record."
He went on to joke that he is like a lucky charm for Pittsburgh because “Every time I pick against them, they win.”
In the ongoing NFL season, the Steelers have had their struggles in putting up numbers early but have made successful late charges in games to win and maintain a winning record.
The latest of their victories came over the Tennessee Titans, 20-16, on November 3. Tennessee outgained Pittsburgh 340 to 326 yards, but failed to surpass the Steelers.
Against the Magic, LeBron James and the Lakers had it rough right at the onset as they could not contain their opponents who jumped to a 14-point advantage, 39-25, at the end of the opening quarter and never looked back.
James reiterated that they have to address such issues if they are to go deeper in the ongoing NBA season.
LeBron James plays basketball but also likes football
LeBron James has established his legend playing basketball but also likes football. He actually played in the gridiron in his younger days.
While he was a basketball star at St. Vincent-St. Mary, he also played wide receiver for the team’s football team, making first-team all-state in his sophomore year. The following year, he had 57 receptions for 1,160 yards and 16 touchdowns to help his team reach the semifinals and a 10-4 record.
James did not play football after that, choosing to stay in the basketball lane. But football remains close to him, and he constantly follows NFL matches and playsflag football whenever possible with fellow NBA stars.
He even shares his picks for NFL games for parlay live on Instagram.