LeBron James might be already thinking about the playoffs and how the team can win. At the age of 40, the King still impacts the game in many ways and is one of the best players on his team. But because of his age, LeBron would love to get any chance at extra rest he can. And right now, it seems like James is pacing himself and trying to prevent injuries. He would love to get fully healthy for the playoffs, and one way he is resting himself is by not going for rebounds. James is going through one of the lowest rebounding stretches in his career right now.
LeBron James is Resting for the Playoffs, and One Stat Proves It
We have to go back to November 2023 for the last time LeBron had zero rebounds in a game. And back then, he followed it up by grabbing 8 and 12 in the next two games. He hasn’t had a stretch like the current one with so few rebounds in a three-game span in a while. This year, he had a stretch of three games of grabbing four, three, and three rebounds. But even that is a higher total than the one he is experiencing right now. In the last three games, he has had five, zero, and three rebounds. It is not just looking at stats. Watching the games feels like LeBron is saving his body from battling guys in the paint for rebounds. It is understandable, given his age, mileage, and his importance to the team in the playoffs.
LeBron needs all the rest he can get before the playoffs. If he slacks a bit on the glass for the last several games of the season, so be it. The Lakers won two of the last three games and lost only to the Golden State Warriors. They tried playing small against Golden State, but the Warriors are better equipped for that style.
Can the Lakers Afford to Rest LeBron James?
As of April 8th, the Los Angeles Lakers are third in the Western Conference. They have one and a half-game lead over the Denver Nuggets and two games lead over everyone else. The Lakers also hold the tiebreaker with every team beneath them in the standings.
To put it simply, the Lakers need two more wins from their remaining four games to secure the second seed. Or, one win if the other teams lose. They play against Oklahoma City on the road, Dallas on the road, Houston at home, and Portland on the road. With a win against the Mavericks, the Lakers might clinch the third spot and have LeBron James and possibly Luka Doncic rest for the remaining two games. The battle for Western Conference playoff seeding will go down to the last game, but the Lakers can secure their seeding earlier than that.
LeBron has always been a three-dimensional player, able to impact the game in a variety of ways. While his rebounds might be down a bit right now, in the playoffs, there are more days to rest between games. That will surely help older players like LeBron.
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