At the beginning of this season, it looked like Father Time was going to let LeBron James defy the odds for another year. He had four straight triple-doubles from November 8-15 as the basketball world awed at his 39-year-old dominance. Now, the “King” is in the middle of one of the worst shooting slumps of his career. This raises questions over whether his goal to play all 82 games this season is worth going for. Over his last four games, LeBron James’ shooting has been inaccurate, culminating in 19 consecutive missed three-pointers.
LeBron James Stats Are Finally Showing Signs Of His Aging
Timberwolves vs Lakers
The Lakers’ last game was a huge disappointment. They lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves, a Western Conference enemy, in sad fashion, 109-80. James was held to only 10 points, and the team even had to force him onto the court during the blowout just to keep his double-digit scoring streak alive. Even the Lakers’ best player, Anthony Davis, struggled. He was 4-of-14 from the field and only scored 12 points.
LeBron James Shooting Slump
While LeBron James’ stats this season remain decent overall, his recent stretch highlights his NBA mortality. Over the last six games, James is shooting 39.8% from the field and a dismal 10% from beyond the arc (3-for-30). These numbers are a huge dip from his career averages, as James averages around 35% from distance for his career. James spoke on his current slump and said,
“It’s everything. It’s the rhythm. I just feel off rhythm the last few, three or four games.”
It is unclear whether James is just having a bad couple weeks or if he is starting to show fatigue after the first couple of months of the season. James had a plan to try and play all 82 games this year, which, at the age of 39, would be incredibly impressive. His coach, JJ Redick, expressed that he wasn’t sure if that was the best idea for the forward. He said,
“I don’t know what’s in the best interest of him and us if he does that, but if he’s feeling well and feeling good, then he should play.”
The Other LeBron James Stats Are Still Strong
Despite not being able to shoot well of late, LeBron James’ stats still show his contributions beyond scoring. During his slump, he has averaged 7.2 rebounds and 8.7 assists, showing that his playmaking skills aren’t lost.
When James isn’t firing on offense, neither do the Lakers. They’ve scored fewer than 104 points in five of their last six games. They were ranked seventh in offensive rating in the month of November and, after three games in December, have plummeted to 27th for the month.
At 12-9 and sitting eighth in the Western Conference, the Lakers must find answers soon. Whether it’s improving their spacing, getting healthy, or the improvement of James’ shooting form, their season hinges on consistent performance. For now, James’ shooting remains a key concern for the Lakers. That being said, once LeBron gets back to his old ways, the Lakers should be able to get their offense back on track.
