On the second night of a back-to-back, with his body clearly taxed and the Los Angeles Lakers sliding, LeBron James took the floor again and delivered a performance that said as much about responsibility as it did about basketball.
After grinding through 33 minutes against the Sacramento Kings, James returned the following night against the Atlanta Hawks and produced a near triple double.
He finished with 31 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the field, helping the Lakers avoid a fourth consecutive loss.
At 41, and in his 23rd NBA season, it was not an appearance anyone would have questioned if he had skipped. Inside the organisation, however, the decision carried real weight.
Head coach JJ Redick made that clear afterward, offering a candid and emotional defence of his star player that went beyond a single game.
“He got hit in the quad in the fourth quarter and he’s already in the ice bath,” Redick said. “He’s going to do everything he possibly can to play in his 23rd year. You know, he just said, ‘I’m going to, I’m going to try. I’m going to try to do everything I can do my normal routine, if I’m able to go.’
“I don’t take for granted the LeBron stuff. It’s unfortunate actually, not to go on a tangent here, but it’s actually unfortunate how much this guy puts into it and how much he cares. And the way certain people talk about it, it’s crazy! Come, be around him every day and see how much this guy cares. It’s off the charts.”
Why this back-to-back mattered
Only a week earlier, James had been transparent about how cautiously he would approach those situations.
“Every back-to-back, for the rest of the season, is TBD,” he said, signalling that rest would be part of the equation.
Against the Kings, he played heavy minutes, scored 22 points, and missed all five of his attempts from three-point range. The Lakers lost again, extending a three-game skid that was beginning to test their footing.
Context changed the next night. With the team needing stability and direction, James stepped forward rather than sitting out.
After the Hawks game, he explained his mindset in terms that reflected how he still views his role.
“I would never disrespect the basketball gods,” he continued, “So I put the time and the effort and the commitment in it mentally, physically, spiritually. Mean, my son is right over there. So, I can’t afford to cheat the game ever. And I wouldn’t ever do that. And I got to set an example for him over there, too.”
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