In such a crucial play-off matchup, James filled the bowstring as soon as he came on the court. In the first half, James turned on the all-out Zhan mode early, but after all, he was 39 years old, and James still had a lack of physical strength in the second half. The layup is not in, and the shot is missed. James faltered on the court. But he still held on, and his 6-of-20 shooting percentage wasn't particularly flashy. But it was a show of James' will.
Players at this age get older and their stamina declines even more. Maybe James was able to sustain his stamina until the third quarter in last year's playoffs, but this year his stamina may be at the end of the day after halftime. The Lakers narrowly missed the playoffs and moved up to seventh in the West, with the mighty Nuggets in front of them, and James will face Aaron Gordon's defense. Gordon is one of the strongest players in the league, and it's no surprise that James has a mountain in front of him. The mountain is clearly taller than the Pelicans.
So James needs helpers, James needs to save stamina. In today's game, Russell's decisive blow in the final moments really made James experience the joy of having a helper. What we hope is that when it really comes to the playoffs, the people around James will step up. For example, Dinwiddie, Prince, Vincent and so on off the bench. If the Lakers are all-in-one, then James doesn't have to hit the basket every time, and he doesn't have to throw himself into the air again and again. There is no need to increase the risk of injury.
James gasped for breath from the bench in the second half today. It's been a long time since we've seen James in this state, and I still remember the last time it was in the '18 playoffs when we single-handedly fought against the Warriors. The level of confrontation in the playoffs is completely different from the regular season, and we really don't know what kind of performance James will play in this year's playoffs. But in any case, we accept any performance from James. He is a 39-year-old man, do you still expect him to perform some earth-shattering miracles? He has performed some miracles that many people at this age cannot perform, but after all, he is a physical body, and he is not a body of steel.
Against the Nuggets is a battle of proof. Hopes may still be cut off by the Nuggets, but the Lakers are determined to fight to the death. It's a defense of dignity, and it's an opportunity to break the demons of your heart. Maybe James also knows that the current Lakers team does not have much hope of competing for the championship, and all he can do is to enjoy basketball as much as possible and enjoy the competitive atmosphere of the playoffs. So in any case, James in such an extreme state deserves the respect of all fans.