Five-time NBA champion Derek Fisher praised and explained the Lakers’ strategy of resting LeBron James mid-quarter, comparing it to how the Mavericks managed Dirk Nowitzki.
Five-time NBA champion Derek Fisher is loving what the Los Angeles Lakers are doing to keep LeBron James fresh this season.
LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron James
MIN: 33.33
PTS: 21.24 (55.99%)
REB: 5.24
As: 6.71
ST: 0.94
BL: 0.53
TO: 2.59
GM: 17
After missing 14 games with an injury, the 41-year-old star didn’t look like his usual dominant self in his first few games back. But a subtle change in how he’s being used is already paying off.
With Austin Reaves out, coach JJ Redick has adjusted the rotation. Luka Doncic plays shorter stints, while LeBron gets longer minutes but comes out midway through every quarter. Fisher compared the strategy to what the Dallas Mavericks did with Dirk Nowitzki during their 2010-11 playoff run.
“A subtle thing that the Dallas Mavericks did with Dirk Nowitzki in 2010-11, when they went on their run, he would take his rest in the middle of the quarter,” Fisher said per Lake Show Life. “You are seeing the Lakers do that with LeBron. Right around the five-and-a-half-minute mark, he takes maybe 90 seconds or two minutes and then finishes the quarter. In a lot of those situations, he is playing against second-lineup guys and the Lakers are in the bonus.”
Credit AP - Scanpix
Fisher noted that the rest allows LeBron to have fresh legs and attack in advantageous positions. The strategy has worked: James keyed two straight wins over the Grizzlies, including a 26-point double-double in Sunday’s comeback.
LeBron has scored 23 or more points in eight of the last 11 games while sharing the floor with Doncic and finding his spots. Fisher’s insight highlights why the mid-quarter rest is so important for aging stars: it keeps them engaged, productive, and less fatigued, especially in high-pressure situations against second units.
“Bigs like LeBron need to be in positions where they can take advantage,” Fisher explained. “You saw it here. He was able to get going against the second units, stay fresh, and make an impact down the stretch.”
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