The Los Angeles Lakers have hit their toughest stretch of the season as they’re dealing with an injured Anthony Davis and Dennis Schroder being ruled out due to health and safety protocols. LeBron James is trying to shoulder the load, but he hasn’t been able to do it himself.
After losing to the Washington Wizards in overtime on Monday night, James was asked why he has decided not to take games off this season. The four-time NBA champion has refused to rest this season, and he didn’t take kindly to this question about resting.
LeBron on resting/missing games:
"This whole narrative of (I) need more rest … I don’t talk about it. I don’t believe in it. We all need more rest, shit. But I’m here to work, to punch my clock in and be available to my teammates."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) February 23, 2021
James hasn’t missed a game all season long, and it seems to be something that he prides himself in this year. Although it’s admirable that he wants to play all 72 games, it may not be a wise decision at 36 with a potentially lengthy playoff run ahead of him.
There’s no question that James is setting a precedent for maintaining dominance in his sport at an advanced age. A few athletes have played multiple decades, like Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but James is doing it on another level.
The problem with James’ current situation is that the kind of workload he’s taking on will take a toll on his aging body at some point, as it always does with professional athletes. The question is, how much more can he take, especially with no break due to being voted to another NBA All-Star Game.
The Lakers have lost four of their last five games, and it won’t get any easier on Wednesday when they face the hottest team in the league on the road in the Utah Jazz.
