HOUSTON — There’s a moment in every great player’s career when the noise around them gets loud enough and the world decides it knows what the ending should be before the final chapter has been written.
ForLeBron James, that moment came in early March.
James missed three games between March 6-10, and the Lakers were 3-0 without him. In their dominant victories over the Pacers, Timberwolves and Knicks, the team appeared to play freer without him. They looked younger, faster and even better on defense.
Fans and analysts alike pointed to James’ absence and said the Lakers would be better without him. Some even suggested he come off the bench. The audacity. The lazy analysis. James heard it all.
“But it sells papers a lot easier … if you say their team is better off without LeBron,” he said. “They’re absolutely wrong.”
So, LeBron didn’t just go out and say it. He proved it on the court.
Before we explain further, let’s rewind to the beginning of the NBA season.
James missed training camp and the first month of the season with sciatica. The Lakers went 10-4 without him, powered byLuka DoncicandAustin Reaves.
When James returned, he was rusty and still not in game shape. Still, they went 6-1 in his first seven games back. Then injuries stalled things. Reaves went down with a calf strain and missed the next two months. The team drifted without him, 10-10 over a 20-game stretch that felt a lot longer than it actually was.
All three were healthy after the All-Star break, but the fit wasn’t seamless. They went 4-4 over their next eight games before James missed those three consecutive in early March.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
