Is this the LeBron James Decline?

As a physical specimen, LeBron James has been consistently amazing as a basketball player and an athlete for 18 seasons. However, this year looks like an exception.

We have become so used to our top athletes doing inhuman things that when they make a very human admission like LeBron James did recently when he said he’d never get back to 100%, we don’t believe it.

Partly James is at fault. He’s been a Superman on the basketball court. A look at his year-to-year numbers, you’d almost think it’s just the same season reprinted over and over. James was the MVP in 2012 by averaging 27 points and 7.9 rebounds. This season, nine years later, he’s averaging 25 points and those same 7.9 rebounds. Although with more assists per game and a better three-point shooting percentage.

It’s hard to believe that he’s injured or feeling his age because nothing about his play would indicate such human frailties. But there he was, in his own words:

“I knew I wasn’t going to get back to 100%. It’s impossible. I don’t think I will ever get back to 100% in my career.”

He was addressing his injured ankle that has kept him out of the lineup and the Lakers out of the driver’s seat when it comes to winning the Western Conference. But the admission of the injuries and how he sees them for the remainder of his career, however long that might be, was a window into just how much he has given to the sport and how much of a toll it is taking.

Down this Road Before

We’ve heard James talk about the price his body has paid before. When the 2017 season began, he told reporters, “I don’t remember the last time I was 100%.”

This time, however, it feels different. Probably because before that 2017 season opener, James only missed a handful of games each season, with the one exception being 2014-2015. This time the injuries and the hurt and the exhaustion seem to be mounting from year to year.

Of course, so do the points, the accolades, and the championships. Just last season, in the midst of one of the strangest seasons in NBA history, he had perhaps his most complete season ever as he led the Lakers to the NBA Championship.

Betting markets still have faith in the Lakers, installing them still as the favorite to win the West at field odds of +175. They trail only the Brooklyn Nets on the odds board to ship the NBA Finals in July at +325.

Consistency is a LeBron James trademark. In 11 seasons in Cleveland, he averaged 27 points per game. During his four seasons in Miami, he averaged 27 points per game. Now in his third season in Los Angeles, he is averaging 26 points per game, but with more rebounds and assists.

As with Tom Brady in the NFL, at some point, the body will tell James when enough is enough. And superhuman as he is, that human part of that descriptor will take over. And it’s important to remember that both last season and this season have been shortened because of COVID-19. The plan for next season is to return to a full 82 games scheduled.

We’re definitely not done seeing LeBron James dominating on the basketball floor. But that day is coming, and everyone needs to prepare for it — especially him. I for one will be happy when he is gone and we can stop talking about this fool.

LeBron Not a Fan of Playoffs Play-In

Maybe it’s a little frustration at missing time with injuries, including Monday night’s game against the Nuggets. Although it might be because the Lakers have seen themselves fall into the zone of possibly having to play their way into the final 16 playoff teams. Whatever the case, LeBron James does not like the new playoff format, and he is letting everyone know about it. “Whoever came up with that s— needs to be fired.”

To be fair to James, he did make the comment right after losing to the Raptors on Sunday. But to be fair to the NBA, a change that keeps more teams in the hunt and encourages fewer teams to tank can only be seen as a net good for the league and fans. In fact Lebron only one year ago supported the play-in format. The guy is a grown baby.

Mavericks star Luka Doncic has said the same thing regarding the play-in, as has Mavs owner Mark Cuban. And surprise-surprise, both the Lakers and Mavericks are in danger of slipping to the seventh seed, which would have them in the play-in tournament.

The reality is that not only is no one getting fired for coming up with the new playoff twist, but the NBA is also likely to make it a permanent thing. So a bit of friendly advice to LeBron – just finish as the sixth seed or higher.