I AM NOT SATISFIED: LeBron James has announce he is leaving the LA Lakers… See more…
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James talked himself into a semantics quagmire about load management, which is a buzz-worthy topic in NBA discussion circles. Of course, his comment was construed as a subtle shot at Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.
Following a 101-96 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, a reporter asked James about rest, which made sense. The Lakers were in the middle of a five-game road trip, going against teams in the Eastern Conference.
James inadvertently tossed gasoline on to the fire between the Lakers and Clippers while adding to the load management conversation with his comments on rest.
Clearly, Rivers added spice to his remarks. Perhaps he’s still a little salty about his short title run with the Boston Celtics coinciding with James’ takeover of the Eastern Conference as a key component to the Miami Heat’s rise. That’s a different subject for another conservation.
Immediately, James’ response spread through the interwebs and a reporter asked Clippers head coach Doc Rivers about the subject.
USA Today‘s Mark Medina captured his comments, which connects to the team’s strategy to sit Leonard on the front end of back-to-back sets.
James isn’t a stranger to load management, but more than times than not, he’s on the court. Since coming into the league, the 34-year-old has played 47,207 minutes. Because of his longevity that’s the most of any player between the 2003-04 season (James’ rookie term) and the current campaign.
Going to eight consecutive NBA Finals, averaging a league high in minutes per game three times and playing all 82 contests (2017-18), put a lot of mileage on James’ body. So, if anyone deserves a rest day here or there, it’s him.
James didn’t clarify this, but he likely scoffed at the idea of milking an injury or sitting out several games without a legitimate cause.
The physical nature of the game and its demands on the human body would require rest at some point, especially if your squad typically makes a deep run in the playoffs. That’s not an excuse for James, it’s a reality.
Of course, in today’s world, people will call James a hypocrite for taking a few days off in few and far between intervals, but he played 1,227 games out of a possible 1,341 outings—that’s a 91 percent attendance rate. Don’t forget, the 17th-year veteran had a legitimate groin injury that limited him to 55 appearances last season.
