LeBron 'battling' over when to take over games, defer to young Lakers
When you have the best basketball player in the world on your team, there's an understandable instinct to defer to him. Yet, LeBron James says he's trying to pick his spots in allowing his young Los Angeles Lakers teammates the opportunities to step up.
"That's the challenge of things I've been kind of battling with since the season started," James said after Thursday's 104-96 win over the Indiana Pacers, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "How much do I defer and allow some of our young guys to kind of try to figure it out, and how much do I try to take over games?"
Thursday was one of those latter occasions, with James scoring 12 fourth-quarter points to finish the game with 38 and move into third place on the all-time 30-plus-point games list.
His comments came on the same day that ESPN's Brian Windhorst said scouts believe James often runs the point on his own, without direction from coach Luke Walton. Lakers president Magic Johnson promptly denied that, adding to SiriusXM NBA Radio: "We don't run everything through him because now it is Cleveland all over again, and we don't want that."
James, for his part, understands the need to alter his role.
"I figured I wouldn't have the ball in my hands as much coming into the season knowing we have multiple ball-handlers on our team with (Lonzo Ball) and (Rajon Rondo)," James added Thursday. "B.I. (Brandon Ingram), Lance (Stephenson), Kuz (Kyle Kuzma) as well. Those guys have the ability to make plays as well. But I'm available any time we need a play to be made."
LeBron's usage rate this season in 31.6, per Basketball-Reference, which is identical to his percentage last season with the Cavaliers.