Watch: Courtside fan records LeBron James giving coaching instructions to opponents in the middle of the game vs Indiana Pacers
LeBron James' high basketball IQ is one of his best traits. Opposition players and coaches have lauded the 'King's' ability to make reads with great ease in the past. Some of them have also mentioned James' predicting and calling out the plays and substitution patterns of his opponents. Fans got to witness this recently when the LA Lakers took on the Indiana Pacers at home.
James was near the Pacers' bench when he used his coaching instincts, telling Indiana to make a substitution that would have helped them do better at that juncture. Here's the clip:
LeBron James said:
"Sub, Sub, Sub... Go get him."
The Indiana Pacers did indeed make a substitution as rookie Chris Duarte ended up checking in following that incident. James may have impressed everyone at that point, but his suggestion may have backfired as the Lakers ended up losing that tie 111-104.
LeBron James records 25+ points in 16 consecutive games
LeBron James has been on a tear for the struggling LA Lakers in the 19th year of his NBA career. The 37-year-old is in contention to win the scoring title, averaging 28.9 points per contest and 0.4 points short of league leader Kevin Durant's tally. That was possible because of James' recent scoring run, during which he recorded 20 30-point games, including 16 consecutive games in which he had at least 25 points.
25+ points in 16 straight games 
👑 25+ points in 16 straight games 👑
#LeBronJames x #NBAAllStar https://t.co/9tW1G5laOx
The 37-year-old posted his last 25+ point outing during the Lakers' 116-105 win over the Orlando Magic in the first match of a six-game road trip. James finished with 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists as LA erased a ten-point deficit to claim the win.
The Lakers improved to 23-23 for the season following that victory. They will be eager to build off of that before the All-Star break and hopefully get their campaign on track for good. LeBron James and Co. will need to bring energy to the defensive end consistently to make that happen.
It's an area they have struggled to do well in, leading to their dismal start to the season. They have shown glimpses of their potential to be a strong team before, so it won't be surprising to see them turn things around over the next few weeks.
With LeBron James performing at an MVP level and Anthony Davis likely to return from injury soon, the Lakers have an excellent chance to do well.