LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers have been pushed to the brink of elimination with the Oklahoma City Thunder holding a 3-0 lead coming into Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals. But with the Lakers desperate to extend their season, there is one player head coach JJ Redick does not need to worry about, and that’s LeBron James.
Prior to the Lakers’ Game 4 against the Thunder, JJ Redick spoke about how LeBron James’ focus reaches another level in the playoffs.
“He’s been great. He’s been great on the court, he’s been great with his leadership … being around him for two years, even leading up to the playoffs, you certainly see a different level of focus,” Redick said. “And he’s pretty much in A focus at all times, so it’s even more intense I would say.”
James has been the Lakers’ best player throughout the postseason so far. With Luka Doncic sidelined due to a hamstring injury, the offense has run through James with him turning back the clock and putting up a vintage postseason performance.
In the months leading up to the postseason, James made it clear that he would take a backseat to Doncic and Austin Reaves, and the Lakers ran off a stretch in which they went 16-2 and climbed up the West standings to the No. 3 seed.
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After securing the No. 4 seed amid the injuries to Doncic and Reaves, James led the Lakers to an opening round series win against the Houston Rockets. He was masterful in that series, controlling the pace of the game and imposing his will.
In the closeout Game 6 on the road, he finished with 28 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Back up to Game 3, also on the road and when the Lakers firmly seized control of the series going up 3-0. James had 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists as well as the steal that led to his game-tying 3-pointer to send it to overtime.
During the Lakers’ postseason run so far, he’s averaging 23.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 7.8 assists and 1.4 steals with splits of 46.1 percent shooting from the field, 32.6 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 74.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
And this promises to be a crucial offseason for James. After opting in to his contract last offseason, he is set to hit unrestricted free agency. Speculation has run rampant all season regarding what his future, both with the Lakers and in the NBA, may hold. But James himself has been adamant that he has made absolutely no decision yet on what next season, and potentially beyond, might bring.
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers have been pushed to the brink of elimination with the Oklahoma City Thunder holding a 3-0 lead coming into Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals. But with the Lakers desperate to extend their season, there is one player head coach JJ Redick does not need to worry about, and that’s LeBron James.