REVENGE SEASON? NOPE, JAMES JUST PLAYING SMARTER
Lakers star runs team like true point guard with Davis taking the priority on offence
Lebron James considers this his revenge season. Don’t believe him. That’s his ego talking and sending out sarcastic #Washedking social media posts.
In reality, his rejuvenated play — and the Los Angeles Lakers’ vaulting to prime championship contender — is about something much more relevant than seeking petty vengeance on invisible haters.
Sure, James is motivated after receiving the ultimate humbling last season. But he is channelling it in a manner appropriate for a superstar who possesses impenetrable greatness. He is playing the most mature brand of basketball he ever has, which is saying something because he entered the NBA out of high school almost 17 years ago with a full-grown game.
Revenge season? No, this is more like serenity season. For James, the ability to find this peace matters because basketball is more of a mental game for him now, less than two weeks shy of his 35th birthday. It doesn’t apply just to what he sees and thinks on the floor. It includes his attitude and perceptions and willingness to sacrifice for his teammates.
The benefits of James’s shift in mentality are apparent in his team’s performance. Entering a Thursday night showdown with reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks, the Lakers have a 24-4 record, which puts them on pace to win 70 games. They aren’t going to reach 70, but it is important to note that, of all the new coaches and superstar partnerships James has had in his capricious career, this is the only one that didn’t require considerable time to get the trust and chemistry right.
When James joined Miami in 2010 to begin the super-team era, the Heat had a middling
9-8 record in its first 17 games. It recovered and made it to the NBA Finals that season, but lost to Dallas. When James returned to Cleveland in 2014, he struggled early to mesh with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and coach David Blatt and they had a crumby 19-20 record at midseason.
Like almost all greats, James sees the game in a special way and it’s hard to get him to consent to a different point of view.
But James seems to be letting go of some control. He has been the primary ball-handler on just about every team he has played for, but he is functioning more like a true point guard now. He is setting up Anthony Davis better than any other previous star teammate. James entered the season intent on making Davis the focal point of the offence and with a third of the season complete, Davis leads the Lakers in scoring at 27.4 points per game. Of course, James is only about 1.5 points behind him and he leads the team in field goal attempts, but that’s mostly because Davis has missed two games and left a couple of others early with injuries. James averages a leaguebest 10.6 assists and that’s not some empty stat. It’s indicative of the fact he is truly running the offence as it should function.
James may be known for creating star trios, but in this duo, there’s ample room for both players to express themselves. There’s no Love or Chris Bosh taking a huge shave to make it work. And contrary to pre-season skepticism, the Lakers’ role players are better than advertised.
The most stunning development is on the defensive end, where James has ended five years of ambivalence. He looks closer to the player who made six all-defensive teams earlier in his career. This is the most encouraging part of the Lakers’ early success. This is where you can tell James, who has had complicated relationships with several of his coaches, is buying into Frank Vogel’s philosophies. This is also where he is using his mind the most, playing off the versatility and rim-protecting skills of Davis and the rest of the Lakers’ stable of active big men.
You are witnessing the best that James or any other player could be 1,226 games (1,465 counting the playoffs) into his career. Only a few have been this good in Year 17. In the 2012-13 season, Kobe Bryant averaged 27.3 points, 6.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds in 78 games at the same age, but that was his last great season. Kareem Abdul-jabbar, who played four years of college, played at an elite level through Year 17, but at age 39 he handed over top-dog status to Magic Johnson in his 18th season.
Karl Malone was still an all-star averaging 22.4 points at the same point in his career. Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzki were all still effective, but they had modified their games to play complementary roles.
History suggests that, even with James thriving, you shouldn’t forecast him maintaining his absurd high-scoring, near-triple-double productivity too far into the future. Father Time is lurking and placing a luxury tax on every mile.
Everyone ages. Some grow wiser. Revenge season? Cute thought. The better story is James, after not having to worry about limitations for all of his basketball life, is becoming self-aware and secure enough to adjust his game. While there is no guarantee, the enlightened approach just might add unprecedented longevity to his greatness.