The Lakers’ seven-game winning streak was finally snapped after a 108-125 defeat against the Phoenix Suns on Monday, Dec. 1. While Luka Doncic posted another 30-point game, Austin Reaves and LeBron James seemed to be struggling to find their momentum. James, who has missed 14 games this season, seemed particularly ineffective in his 31 minutes on the floor, scoring just 10 points and three assists.
Many have started to agree that Father Time has caught up to James, and his age is starting to show on the field. He wasn’t imposing in this game and had a -6 rating on the floor. Former NBA player Chandler Parsons called James out for stat-padding and suggested that the Lakers were focusing solely on his legacy rather than the current campaign.
During his segment on Fanduel’s “Run It Back,” Parson said:
“This was the first time in my life I saw an older LeBron James who played and looked like his age. … LeBron James, he did not look like himself, which for me is the first time I’ve ever seen him like that.”
Sure enough, James didn’t look like his usual self on the floor against the Suns. While he was averaging 24.4 points per game last season, he seemed quite tired and a shell of his previous self on Monday. James could connect with only three of his 10 shots against the Suns. On that note, Parsons accused the Lakers of helping LBJ with stat-padding.
“So, it was a nice gesture for J.J. [Redick] to continue to keep him in there, and he definitely was hunting for it [10 points]. He was not coming out until he got it. This just felt like the first step on the way out and kind of catering to his legacy instead of focusing on this season and the game that was already over. Congrats, I guess, but honestly I didn’t love it. It was just obvious what he was doing,” he added.
It’s worth noting that LeBron James will turn 41 at the end of this year. And it’s also high time to realize that he will slow down eventually. However, one subpar game against the Suns early in the season does not mean that James is now washed.
He is still recovering from his left-foot injury, and we have yet to see what else the old gun of the league can unload. For now, it remains a question how James will be able to bounce back from this slump and prove himself as ‘the King’ yet again.
LeBron James Made Concerning 3-Word Admission After the Loss Against the Suns
LeBron James is himself aware of his output so far this season. We are seeing a man who may be slowing down after being consistent throughout his 22 seasons in the league.
However, after the Lakers’ defeat against the Suns, James made a concerning admission that may give us clarity about his slump in performance.
“It’s called old. You just wake up with s**t that you didn’t have the night before,” said James about his left-foot injury.
Well, this does not mean that LeBron James is retiring just yet. The three-time NBA champion and 21-time All-Star has every intention of rehabilitating and taking care of his body to perform at his best for the remainder of this season. However, one must definitely give James credit for defying his age and performing at the level he does, even when he closes in on turning 41 at the end of December.
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