LeBron James said on April 11 that he has resumed his position as the main scorer for the Los Angeles Lakers after injuries sidelined Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. James, who had been the team’s third scoring option earlier in the season, is now leading the offense again.
This change comes as the Lakers approach a critical point in their season. The team went 2-1 over three games with James averaging 28.0 points, 12.7 assists, and 7.7 rebounds during this stretch.
“Sounds pretty cool. Sounds pretty good,” James said about his recent performances. “I would [have] loved to get that 3-0 nod though. But just trying to make plays. I had to tap back into a role that I’ve been accustomed to in the past, but obviously it wasn’t what it was this year. But circumstances have put me back in, and I’m just trying to feed off my teammates, teammates feeding off of me and just trying to make things happen for us to stay afloat.”
When asked about his mindset heading into the playoffs, James focused on maintaining composure under pressure: “I don’t know, just stay even keel,” he said. “I think at the end of the day, you don’t wanna get too high, never get too low. Obviously, the postseason is gonna bring so much more, even more intensified moments. So just staying even keel, using my knowledge of the game, the way I approach the game[,] [and] lead the game.” He added that teamwork remains important: “Guys [are] gonna lean on me and [at] times I lean on them too. It’s a collective group effort both on and off the court.”
James also responded directly when asked what he will do while Doncic or Reaves are out: “Everything,” he told Allie Clifton on Amazon Prime. “Nothing changes for me; it’s just back to old ways… That’s what the job requires so I look forward to it and let’s see what we can get done.”
As playoffs near and with key players still recovering from injury, observers will be watching how far James can take this Lakers roster as its leader.
