The current LeBron James who is currently playing for the Los Angeles Lakers is a far cry from the superstar that terrorized the league during the late 2000s and early 2010s. It’s clear to everyone that he’s lost the athletic explosiveness that made him one of the most dominant players the league has ever seen.
However, everyone will also agree that James is put at a higher pedestal than most NBA players. Because he set the floor so high, it makes sense that the impressive stat line he is producing for the Lakers is being taken in with a grain of salt.
The King himself has come forward to address the issues of his struggles for the Purple and Gold this season, and he makes solid arguments for his case.
LeBron James explains why he’s struggling to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the playoffs

James talked about the quality of his play in the latest episode of Mind the Game with JJ Reddick. He explained that while his athletic peak has long passed, the fact that he can still compete as he nears 40 years old is worthy of conversation in and of itself.
Per ClutchPoints’ Quinn Allen:
“At 39, I think I have like 70,000 minutes. I was explaining to my wife the other day, she asked me how am I feeling when I came home after a game. I said babe, just imagine buying a 2003 Escalade, and it’s 2024, and you’ve never changed the tires, so rub my feet please. And I’ve never changed the tires, these are the same tires from 2003, so can I do it every night? I don’t want to say I could do it for a whole game. I mean I’ll take the challenge for sure, but that’s just, I’m a competitor, I was born that way, I was taught that way, I’ll f—n die on the court because I just love it so much. Am I being realistic? I got to pick my spots, definitely got to pick my spots.”
James made some valid points. He’s entertaining fans and terrorizing colleagues with his dominance since 2003, so he can definitely use a bit of a break on the floor and let the younger players take charge.
Has LeBron James fallen off as an elite player?

Many claim that LeBron James has officially fallen off as a player since he’s not been able to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a straight playoff berth. The Purple and Gold currently sit ninth in the Western Conference, and he’s not doing the inhuman highlights he’s been pulling off during his peak years.
However, any NBA player averaging 25.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.1 assists on 53% shooting and 41% from deep is considered a star player in today’s NBA. The fact that James could even pull it off is nothing short of a miracle for a grizzled vet like him.
While the Lakers are big underdogs to win the Larry O’Brien trophy, fans can count on him to pull all the stops to win every possible game.
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