Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham had a clear goal for LeBron James’s minutes during the 2023-24 NBA regular season. He wanted to limit them as much as possible to ensure he was fresh for the playoffs.
In theory, that is a good plan. In Year 21 of his NBA career, James has a ton of wear and tear on him. But, having James fresh for the playoffs if you don’t make it there is useless, so the future Hall of Famer has regularly blown past the 28-30 minutes Ham was hoping he would play.
It is hard to convince James to stay off the court. Opening night against the Denver Nuggets he played only 29 minutes and was +7 but the team lost 119-107. When he is having that big of an impact, it is impossible to keep him on the bench.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
On Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers, James again blew through the minutes limit, as he was on the court for 42. The team needed him for every second, as the Lakers won 130-125 in overtime, snapping an 11-game losing streak to their Crypto.Com Arena co-tenants.
It was another awe-inspiring performance from James, who continues to hold off Father Time. He scored 35 points with 12 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and one steal. A thunderous alley-oop dunk from Austin Reaves in overtime punctuated his performance.
“I’m just happy I’m still able to go get it at this point in my career. I mean, he trusted me to go get it, so I wanted to go up there,” James said.
James has been especially dominant in late-game situations. Against the Clippers, he scored 14 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, shooting 6-of-8 from the field. In five games this season, he has scored 51 points in the fourth quarter and overtime on a scathing 21-of-31 from the field.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
“If we keep the game close, I feel like in the fourth quarter, that’s when I’m at my best,” James said. “If the game is close, I can make plays to help us win the ballgame, no matter who is out on the floor for us.”
If Ham is dead set on eventually scaling James’s minutes back, he has to figure out a way to ensure that he can play as much as possible in the fourth quarter. When the Lakers get healthy it will be easier to find him time to rest, but his teammates are going to have to perform in those stretches.
In a loaded Western Conference, the Lakers cannot afford to be giving games away. James has already shown that he is willing to play those extra minutes if need be, as his playing time is going to be a topic of discussion all season. But, if he keeps producing at this clip late in games, it is going to be impossible for Ham to sit him down.
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