Among the teams desperately seeking a playoff spot, with just ten games left in the regular season, are the Los Angeles Lakers. The team’s superstar, LeBron James, although showing an extra gear in recent games, told ESPN that the team’s seeding, their final position at the end of the regular season, is not as important as his personal health.
“I have to be smart. If I’m not healthy, or if I’m not able to be, then it’s not good for our team. It’s not good for me,” explained the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, who skipped the Lakers’ 128-124 win over the Milwaukee Bucks but made significant appearances in victories against the Indiana Pacers and the Memphis Grizzlies.
James explained that his decision to rest for the Bucks game was because he doesn’t believe in focusing on the short term if it would potentially risk long-term gains: “I mean, I probably would’ve tried to play yesterday [in Milwaukee] if it was a case.”
In the same article, James further elaborated on his decision-making process when it comes to resting or playing games in the final stretch of the regular season. “Just being very strategic. Obviously, understanding and seeing how my ankle and foot feel. But being very smart about it, obviously. We are where we are, but our health has always been the most important thing for our club,” he concluded.
“For me, taking care of myself when it comes to injuries and knowing my foot and ankle and how they react, and how it’s been over the last couple of years, it’s about keeping an eye on the overall situation for me and the team,” James concluded. The team currently sits at 9th place in the Western Conference with a record of 41 wins and 32 losses as of March 27, 2024. For James, he’s averaging 25.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.1 assists this season in the 63 games he’s played. Two more games are needed for him to be eligible for season awards.
