LeBron James has settled into a supporting role with the Los Angeles Lakers and admitted that his scoreless first half in the 113-110 loss to the Detroit Pistons was intentional. The Pistons snapped the Lakers’ nine-game winning streak in a matchup that saw James move away from his usual role of stepping up as the primary scorer.
LeBron James Talks about His Intentional Scoreless Minutes as Part of His New Role
James has already surpassed all expectations in the NBA by performing at a phenomenal level at 41, something the sporting world has rarely witnessed before. He has earned recognition as one of the most versatile players ever, and in the ongoing season, he has adjusted to a third-option role on the Los Angeles Lakers, behind cornerstones Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.
In the recent loss to the No. 1 team in the East, a rare scene unfolded. He remained scoreless in the first half, the first time since 2010, and only the third time in his 23-year NBA career.
However, it appeared to be an intentional approach on James’s part. Serving as a supplementary player has never been part of his blueprint, but it is gradually proving to be beneficial.
“It’s the role that I’m playing for the ballclub. In order for us to win ball games, it’s the role that I’m playing. And that’s just how the game was going,” he said during a locker room conversation after the game.
Doncic delivered a 32-point performance, while Reaves tallied 24. James recorded only 12 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Detroit’s Daniss Jenkins put up a career-best 30 points, along with 8 assists and 4 rebounds in 39 minutes.
The new role also earned James a new nickname: the ‘best third wheel in NBA history’ behind stars Dončić and Reaves. The praise came from NBA legend Charles Barkley, who had previously criticized the Lakers for receiving the most coverage of any franchise.
ALSO READ: DeMarcus Cousins Retracts Luka Dončić Slander to Proclaim Lakers Star ‘Best Player In the NBA’
After the loss to the shorthanded Pistons, Barkley highlighted the Lakers’ advantage with James embracing a tertiary role.
“They’re playing great, Luka’s playing great. He’s been unbelievable. I think Austin has played great, and LeBron is probably the best third wheel in NBA history. And LeBron is such a great player; he can do it all… There’s nobody in the NBA got a better third player.”
James played the 1,613th game of his career, having recently overtaken Robert Parish on the career games played leaderboard. He will next be in action when the Lakers take on the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
