Lakers News: How Pundit Thinks LeBron James' Age Will Affect Play In Year 21
In a recent piece by Howard Beck of The Ringer, Los Angeles Lakers All-NBA small forward LeBron James' ever-increasing age is analyzed.
Beck explains that entering Year 21, there's "no precedent" for what LeBron is trying to do. Playing at the level that is asked of him in Los Angeles, and the level that he wants to play at is nearly impossible entering his age-39 season.
Yet, James has found a way to make it possible. Making a Western Conference Finals appearance in his age 38 season on a Lakers team that had an incredible second-half surge, the King had "by every available metric... the best year-20 season the NBA has ever seen."
Entering year 21, James is one of six other players who've reached this stage in his career. The notion that he's still planning on being the best (or perhaps second-best) player on a championship caliber team is unreal.
The big topic of discussion is health, as James has struggled to stay on the floor throughout his tenure in Los Angeles.
LeBron played just 55 of 82 games in his inaugural season with the Lakers, 45 of 72 in the 2020-2021 campaign, and 56 and 55 of 82 in each of the past two seasons, respectively.
James also dealt with a serious foot injury in the second half of last season, leading to a noticeable playoff decline. He averaged 4 fewer points and shot 6% worse from the 3-point line, despite historically having improved his level of play come the postseason.
All this said, LeBron's health is going to be the primary X-factor in his play going forward. If he's able to play healthy, expect good things. If he plays injured, his production will likely dwindle akin to the 2023 postseason, which may cause the Lakers to fall short.
Regardless, this is a once-in-a-lifetime player entering year 21, and it's important to sit back and appreciate his greatness.
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