CLEVELAND — With the Lakers’ flat-screen season having a minor second with Monday’s 131-120 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James says he nonetheless has one thing to play for.
“I am actually combating the time of my life proper now,” James mentioned after the Lakers ended their four-game run by successful two of their final three video games. “The sport is a fantastic factor.”
Los Angeles’ place within the standings is not fairly, even going up, because the Lakers nonetheless sit ninth within the Western Convention — forward of the No. 10 New Orleans Pelicans and three video games over No. 11. The San Antonio Spurs — with 10 video games remaining.
However James, who scored 38 factors, scored 12 assists and scored 11 rebounds in elevating his all-time file to 17-1 in opposition to his former franchise, is constrained by the present second his workforce finds themselves in.
With 4 championships and 10 journeys to the NBA Finals already on his résumé, why does the 37-year-old nonetheless discover a goal with a workforce he is solely hoping to make his technique to the taking part in championship?
“As a result of I do not care an excessive amount of about our workforce’s narrative,” James mentioned. “At this level in my profession, I do not become involved in these items. I do not examine them, and I do not hear them a lot. … I do not care about any of these items, I’m a blast taking part in basketball.”
Lakers coach Frank Vogel mentioned James’s play — averaging 37.3 factors for 57.1% taking pictures, 10 rebounds and eight.3 assists to finish the run as Los Angeles beat playoffs in Toronto and Cleveland and narrowly misplaced to Washington after main by as a lot as 16- He stored his group aggressive regardless of the passage of the season.
“It is my flip when issues aren’t going proper, it is not good to be round,” Vogel mentioned. “This workforce hasn’t left the rope and the largest purpose is the best way it performs, the way it leads and what it represents when it comes to confidence in the place we are able to ultimately get.”
James bought a bit of glory days on Monday. He made the third treble in his profession in opposition to the workforce that drafted him and acquired an prolonged welcome from the Cleveland followers when the video board acknowledged his move for Karl Malone to turn out to be the NBA’s all-time main scorer over the weekend. He significantly welcomed his outdated colleague, Kevin Love.
I’ve dunked it.
“To be utterly sincere, I hated that it needed to be him,” James mentioned with a smile. “He’s my man. That is my brother. I hope I’m nonetheless known as for that. [Love’s] marriage ceremony. This is not even in my dunk on a regular basis so I will take it out. I didn’t imply that. Ok-Love, I really like you and take it again. Hopefully I can get these two factors again and nonetheless win the sport by 9.”
Los Angeles bought this pillow due to not solely James, however Russell Westbrook (20 factors, 11 assists) and DJ Augustin (20 factors in a 7-for-7 shot).
“Internally, we really feel like we’re an ideal workforce and we are able to do one thing particular,” mentioned Augustin. “Run. Run the playoffs. Run the playoffs. So long as we imagine in one another, it does not matter what anybody else thinks.”
Westbrook mentioned he’s excited to show unsuitable the skeptics who’ve commented on the Lakers’ issues all season.
He mentioned, “There’s nothing higher than silencing individuals.”
The Lakers could have quieted the noise for one evening, however they nonetheless have six of their final 10 video games on the street, and residential video games aren’t a good way both, with the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets coming to city.
“I will play with lots of ardour, lots of power, give my teammates what they deserve, what they want, and like I’ve mentioned for the remainder of the season, I hope to remain pretty injury-free,” James mentioned. . “Clearly, I am coping with some accidents proper now, however I am engaged on it and we’re engaged on it and that is all that issues. We go away every part on the ground and management what you possibly can management and what you possibly can don’t be concerned about. Simply my thoughts.”
