Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James pushed back on commentary suggesting the team performs better when he is off the court, speaking after the club secured its eighth consecutive victory and fifth since his return to the lineup.
James, 41, missed three games earlier this month because of undisclosed soreness. The Lakers went 3-0 during that stretch, highlighted by wins over the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. The short surge led to public debate that Los Angeles might be more effective without its veteran star.
“I was out a couple weeks ago and I was able to come back and see how I fit best with those guys because they were playing so dynamic off one another,” James told Spectrum SportsNet. “But it sells papers a lot easier and clippings and podcasts if you say their team is better off without LeBron. They’re absolutely wrong.”
Since rejoining the lineup, James has blended with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, helping the Lakers extend their winning streak to eight games. Doncic has led the scoring load, Reaves has provided steady production, and James has settled into an efficient tertiary role.
Record-setting efficiency
The discussion around James’ impact quieted further during Wednesday’s victory over the Houston Rockets, the Lakers’ seventh win of the current run. James scored 30 points on 13-of-14 shooting (92.9%), becoming the oldest player in league history—by nearly five years—to reach 30 points while converting at least 90% from the field.
Los Angeles, now positioned among the NBA’s top teams, continues its road trip Friday in Miami, where James spent four seasons earlier in his career.
Source: LakersNation.com
