LeBron James gets real on expanding Lakers NBA Playoffs role vs. Rockets originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
For a vast majority of LeBron James' career, he was expected to do nearly everything in the NBA Playoffs. Those expectations shifted when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019 but they are now back. Against the Houston Rockets, Coach JJ Redick needs all the help he can get and it all starts with their aging superstar. It's because both Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves will not be on the court.
Game 1 against the Rockets was a masterclass on aging gracefully on the court by LeBron James. Coach JJ Redick was able to play him for 38 minutes and every single second of his playing time was productive. Entering Game 2 of this NBA Playoffs series, the Lakers star wants to do more so that his team could take a commanding 2-0 lead.
James outlined the reason why he wanted to expand his NBA Playoffs role for the Lakers, via Dan Woike of The Athletic.
"We kept our composure. I got to do a little bit of everything. It’s what the job requires," the Lakers superstar declared.
True enough, he was playing nearly every position for Coach Redick's squad. James was able to score 19 points by knocking down 60% of his field goal attempts. With the absences of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, James turned back the clock and became an elite facilitator again which helped him notch 13 assists. More than that, he was also not affected much by the Rockets defense as a primary ballhandler. James only turned the ball over twice after nearly playing the whole NBA Playoffs game.
Defensively, Coach Redick was also using the Lakers superstar as an anchor at times. This netted James eight rebounds while stealing the ball twice from the Rockets and getting a block.
Luke Kennard was the reason why the Lakers pulled off the 107-98 win over the Rockets. Law of averages dictate that those 27 points will decrease in Game 2 or some other point in the NBA Playoffs. Will James be able to up his production as the Lakers await Doncic and Reaves' return?