LeBron James is arguably the savviest player in the entire NBA. Not only does he understand the game of basketball at a very high level, but he also knows how to utilize his reputation to his advantage when it comes to getting favorable calls from referees.
On top of that, James is simply one of the most composed players around. So far this season, James has yet to receive a single technical foul in a Los Angeles Lakers game. Considering the amount of playing time that he has accrued this season, it’s a pretty incredible feat.
One former NBA official recently discussed that fact and heaped praise upon James.
“That lets you know how respectful he is,” Danny Crawford said of James when speaking to FOX Sports’ Melissa Rohlin. “He doesn’t go overboard in trying to prove that he’s right. There’s nothing nasty about what he says.”
James is unquestionably passionate about the game. After all, one doesn’t become one of the best players in the league without a deep sense of passion and dedication. He has also been around for so long that it is not surprising that he has a really good idea of where referees draw the line between calling and not calling technical fouls.
So, while it is certainly impressive that James has managed to avoid techs all season long, it perhaps should not come as much of a surprise.
So far this season, the four-time NBA champ is averaging 29.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game. James is having another MVP-caliber season. Sadly, his ability to really challenge for the MVP award will likely be dramatically impacted by the Lakers’ lack of success.
The Lakers are currently 26-28 and sit at the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference. If the Lakers can put it together and enjoy a late-season surge, perhaps James will enter the MVP conversation. More than that, if the team can finally start gelling on the court, it could perhaps challenge for a championship.
Given how things are going right now, Lakers fans would be wise not to hold their collective breath.
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