"Stay low and keep firing is the motto I've been on" - LeBron James divulges his current mentality as he looks to keep the LA Lakers afloat in the West
The LA Lakers registered a statement 106-96 victory against the Brooklyn Nets last night as LeBron James put on a show once again.
James has now dropped 30 or more points in three of his last four games. Many have suggested that his scoring numbers are high because the Purple and Gold are struggling to rack up wins. The Los Angeles-based outfit have lost five of their last eight games and are hovering around .500 for the season.
As reported by ESPN's Dave McMenamin, LeBron James was asked if his otherworldly scoring spree was a direct response to the LA Lakers' struggles. The King responded by stating that he doesn't pay attention to the media narrative and is focusing on leading his team.
"I basically just told myself, ‘Nothing else matters besides what you do out on the floor and how you continue to lead these guys.’ It doesn’t matter the conversations that are going on outside of our locker room and the narration of our ballclub or whatever is going on, the injuries, all that stuff," he said.
James added:
"Nothing else matters besides what I bring to the table every single night. How positive I can continue to lead these guys, no matter the outcome. And if I have a position to play this game the way I do, then go out and make the most of it."
The 37-year-old concluded:
"So, stay low and keep firing is the motto I’ve been on for, I don’t know however long it's been, but I don’t have an excuse. And I won’t make one."
The all-time greats rarely make excuses when it comes to their game. LeBron James is certainly frustrated with how the LA Lakers' season is going but isn't one to pout and complain about his teammates.
He is averaging the highest scoring tally of his career since he first left the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010 while maintaining his assist and rebounding numbers. At the age of 37, James leads the NBA in 30-point games with 22, despite missing 12 games already this season.
"I just love this game."
@KingJames talks about his focus with @ChrisBHaynes after the win in Brooklyn. https://t.co/pTSPId5SsJ
The LA Lakers won their 24th game of the season against the Nets to climb back to .500. They finally had the services of Anthony Davis once again in this game and he registered eight points in 25 minutes while shooting 3-8 from the field.
Davis missed the only three-pointer he attempted but did grab two rebounds, two assists and one steal, in addition to making four blocks. He isn't comfortable with the minutes restriction right now and is expected to ramp up his on-court activity in the coming days.
LeBron James deserves to be in the MVP conversation
LeBron James' MVP case now solely rests on how the LA Lakers perform in their remaining 34 games. Anthony Davis' return will help them win but could also counterproductively take the ball out of James' hands and reduce his numbers.
The LA Lakers will need to win at least 24 of the next 34 games for James to be considered in the MVP discussion.
"If my name starts to be in the MVP conversation that means the Lakers are winning games...that's all I care about." @KingJames on receiving MVP consideration 39 games into the season. #LakeShow https://t.co/lZsUDG8oqV
LeBron James is currently averaging 29.0 points per game, second-highest in the league behind Kevin Durant (29.3). He has done so on 51/35/75 shooting splits while averaging 7.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game.
The scoring average is the fourth-highest of his career. James is recording these numbers in his 19th season at the age of 37 and many analysts believe his age and longevity are why he deserves his fifth MVP trophy.