"It makes no difference to me" - LeBron James willing to contribute minutes at the center position for LA Lakers despite the physical toll
LeBron James believes his body is well suited to play at center and that there is no toll on his body because of the minutes he plays at 5. The 36-year-old has been logging in a few minutes at the center position to maximize the efficiency of the team. Although he has been impactful in the position, there are concerns over the extra minutes he has been playing this season.
James has been averaging 37 minutes, which is the most he has ever done since the 2016-17 season. The 4-time NBA champion, has missed out on a dozen games due to injuries. However, he has been terrific in the limited playing time for the Lakers.
When asked in the post-game press conference by a reporter about the long minutes he has been playing this season and the added toll taken on his body while playing at center, LeBron James replied by saying:
"I mean, I only played 34 minutes. Obviously defensive things change when I'm playing at the five, battle with a lot of bigs but that is fine. It makes no difference to me. When I'm on the floor, I'm gonna make plays, offensively and defensively."
"We don't know...we haven't been whole. I can't remember the last time we had the same starting lineup with the same rotation off the bench." @KingJames on how to assess the #LakeShow 32 games into the season. https://t.co/yqS2m8wfBt
The Lakers once again fell off in the second half against the Suns. This was their third consecutive loss and has now pushed them back to a .500 record. Many in the media have been heavily critical about the team and their performance so far. When asked if the team could ever reach the expected level, LeBron James replied by saying:
"You guys ask me that question after every game. I don't know... We have no idea what this team can be... How can I really assess what we have when we're not whole?"
Final from Downtown Los Angeles. https://t.co/5stuaJ85JW
LeBron James scores 34 points in the LA Lakers' loss against the Phoenix Suns
The LA Lakers came into the game after a disappointing loss to the Chicago Bulls. They looked really good to start the game and even had the lead going into halftime. However, the Lakers had a poor offensive showing in the second half. No player other than LeBron James looked to be firing. The King scored 19 in the first half and kept making buckets to keep things going in the second.
King coming through. https://t.co/HW5699e840
The 36-year-old rolled his ankles in the third quarter and had to be taken out, but returned to action in the 4th. By then things had gotten out of hand as the Suns ran over the Lakers in the second half to score 54 points to take a dominant 108-90 win on the night.
LeBron James shoots 13/19 on his way to 34 PTS, 7 REB, 2 STL and 49.4 FPTS 👑 https://t.co/1kwyq8m5CG
Despite the loss, LeBron James had a great night. He ended the game with 34 points on 68.4% shooting from the field. The forward looked in great flow but lacked support from his teammates. The Purple and Gold next face the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, December 23. LeBron will be hoping to deliver a similar performance there and help the franchise prepare for a Christmas day fixture against the Nets.