LeBron James didn't disappoint, and although he played back-to-back against the Raptors for 45 minutes, he was still as invincible as a tank car against the Wizards. It's no wonder that team coach Frank Vogel lamented after the game, "He (James) is just staying aggressive in the game, and after playing 45 minutes just a day ago, it is incredible!" ”
The word "incredible," which has been mentioned countless times throughout James' career, became a less prominent footnote to James' great achievements.
Against the Wizards, James achieved another feat in less than half a game — surpassing NBA legend Carl Malone to top the league's all-time scoring list. James, who stands in this position, has spent 113 games less than Carl Malone.
Is it another "incredible" exclamation in your heart?
Isn't that incredible?
James' good friend Cameron Anthony said of the incident: "I'm in awe of LeBron (James) for keeping climbing the list. I have to admit that when I was younger, I didn't think anyone could beat Malone in the all-time scoring list, let alone over Abdul-Abdul-Jabbar. ”
Yes, you agree, because it's something that requires a long career and a great competitive state. In the long history of the NBA, how easy is it to achieve such conditions? Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and Wilt Chamberlain are not among the "top two" figures on this list.
LeBron James did.
Since entering the league in 2003, James has maintained a high level of competition, which is a key factor in his ability to climb to the second place in the all-time scoring list. Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. witnessed the miracle as an opponent, saying after the game: "His (James's) career is legendary in history, and it's impressive to play at such a high level for so long. It's a great achievement, and I don't think he's going to slip anytime soon. ”
Milestone night, the fly in the ointment is that the Lakers failed to win the game.
The Lakers have been very bad this season, like a towel used to wipe the toilet. At the end of the regular season, the Lakers still showed no signs of getting better, swinging on the edge of the cliff and enduring the noise behind them. The Lakers' ranking is already very embarrassing, it is difficult to improve the ranking to the 8th place, but fortunately, the team behind the Lakers is not strong, and the Lakers can retain the hope of reaching the playoffs through the playoffs.
In fact, the Lakers' play-off spots are not yet secure.
How did the Lakers fall into the dismal state they are today? The team's offseason gamble replaced a handful of role players in his hand with russell Westbrook, the star player of the past, and the glossy card lost the depth of the team's lineup. Admittedly, the players who were sent away, such as Kyle Kuzma, Pope, and Monterrez Harrell, were by no means indispensable puzzles, but the Lakers paid the price of insufficient lineup depth.
Especially in the case of Anthony Davis's absence, it is extremely deadly.
After Westbrook joined the Lakers, it has not been able to integrate, and the team has also had rumors of internal contradictions, which is not a small harm to the Lakers. Therefore, when the overall state of the Lakers is not as expected, Westbrook has become a piece of "rotten meat" of the team, and Westbrook has also borne great pressure.
Against the Raptors, the scene of Westbrook's passionate savior is very hot, but is it really bottoming out? Back-to-back against the Wizards, Westbrook's blood was still cold, but the Lakers failed to achieve a winning streak.
There is a defeat that coldly stung the Nerves of the Lakers, the Lakers performed well in the first three quarters of the game, but the final quarter of the game suddenly lost themselves, such a Lakers team is not strange. The Lakers often have sudden power outages this season, and coach Vogel is naturally to blame, and his employment strategy is frequently questioned.
Losing to the Wizards, Vogel was shelled by the outside world again, and the small lineup was seen as a faint move.
After the game, Vogel said of the team's performance: "When LeBron (James) was not on the floor, we didn't play well enough. ”
James' performance in this game was quite good, with 38 points, 10 rebounds and six assists on 16-of-29 shooting, and Vogel's words seemed true. When a player in his late forties can still average 29.8 points per game, you can't help but marvel at this performance, James is already one of the top scorers this season.
But is that enough? Of course not.
You have to know that when you evaluate the leader of any team, the team's record must be taken into account. James played another high-energy season, but the team's record dimmed James' record. Such a statement does not seem unfair to James, a veteran can have such a performance is to be admired, and it is not unreasonable to question him, but we are talking about the team's leading players.
A few years ago, there were many voices talking about "James is old", but James made the doubters dumbfounded by his performance. James is like an unenoding machine, he makes the younger juniors look up to him, but his control of the game is indisputable. As a veteran player, Although James is not as sharp as in the past on the offensive end, he makes opponents dare not underestimate him, and the defensive end no longer has the energy to take care of it.
On the other hand, James' ability to lead the team is also inadequate.
As mentioned earlier, the Lakers' offseason trade weakened the depth of the lineup, and the team's rotation lineup talent did not appear to be enough. James' ability to lead the team is among the top in the league, but in recent years, as he has aged, he has inevitably slipped from the top level. The laws of nature cannot be changed by anyone, not even leBron James, the "chosen son."
With sea on one side and flames on the other, this is the Lakers and James this season.
(Text/Yan Wujun)