Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James’ All-NBA Third Team selection is justifiable

Although Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James put up solid numbers in his first year in L.A., his All-NBA Third Team selection is logical.

The Los Angeles Lakers weren’t shut out of the regular season awards. On Thursday, the league’s All-NBA teams were announced and perhaps in the minds of some, the selections were a little off.

One of the most noteworthy aspects of this year’s selections is that Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was on the All-NBA Third Team. Yes, that is not a typo or something to that effect.

It seems relatively strange given that James had a statistically great season. In 2018-2019, the Ohio native averaged 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.3 assists. In other words, when he was on the floor, he was generally his typical MVP-esque self.

Thus, it may have some fans wondering why he was not bumped into this year’s first or second team. Like, it is one of those classic “Hello, have you ever heard of LeBron James?” scenarios. Appearance wise, sure, it looks bizarre at first glance.

James was named to the All-NBA First Team from 2007-2008 to 2017-2018. That is a spectacular streak and a testament to how consistent The King has been throughout the years. As a result, folks have gotten so used to seeing him on that First Team to where it is basically expected.

Nevertheless, even if you’re the biggest LeBron James fan in the Milky Way, his All-NBA Third Team selection is sensible. The right decision was made, regardless of whether how weird it appears to the naked eye.

Part of the reason James “only” got Third Team honors is due to how poorly the Lakers played this season. The squad finished eight games below .500, consequently not making the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season.

Certainly, that performance is well below the expectations many had for the Lakers before the season commenced. Practically everyone thought they would at least snag the eighth seed.

However, when a team cannot even beat the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the New York Knicks, or even the Atlanta Hawks… that says a mouthful in itself.

Of course, it is important to bear in mind that James was not on the hardwood for a fair chunk of the campaign. The groin injury he sustained on Christmas Day sidelined him for 17 games. It is crucial to note that LBJ never missed so many games in a row until then.

Everyone on the All-NBA First Team played in more contests than No. 23. Out of the five on said team, Stephen Curry played the least amount of games, but still played in 69 games. On the other hand, the Lakers’ franchise player appeared in only 55.

That being said, it is reasonable to argue LBJ is actually lucky he got All-NBA honors to begin with. Missing 27 games is not something that should be taken lightly.

It is also worth noting that everyone on the league’s First Team made it to the postseason this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo is still fighting for his first Finals berth, whereas Curry’s Warriors have made it to the big dance once again.

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Moreover, when Antetokounmpo is mulled over, it is worth considering how good his Milwaukee Bucks were all year along. The Bucks claimed 60 wins, which even usurped the mighty Warriors’ grand total. Elements of that nature cannot be tossed aside like unbuttered broccoli at the dinner table.

There is another reason James’ All-NBA Third Team selection is justifiable. Paolo Uggetti of The Ringer made a significant point when he referenced the ridiculous increment of turmoil the Lakers faced.

Uggetti contended that a turning point in the Lakers’ season occurred when the Anthony Davis trade buzz spiraled out of control. LeBron was heavily involved in that speculation and essentially was okay with letting nearly half the team go to obtain one player.

Those rumors made the 6-foot-8 forward a lot less popular, and many (myself included) immediately questioned his value as a leader. Leaders generally are not so bold as to throw their squad under the bus, so to speak. Conversely, leaders need to have an approach indicative of “Okay, we’re struggling, but let’s figure this out together.”

Additionally, it is fair to bring up how suspect James was on “D” this year. Dan Favale of Bleacher Report recently wrote about this, saying that “LeBron hibernated on defense for 99 percent of the year.”

Granted there is a dose of hyperbole in that statement, the criticism of James’ defense is warranted. The man got taken off the dribble a lot this season, which, in part, shows that he may be slowing down to some degree.

This was The King’s 16th season, and, despite his physical prowess, even the best players lose a sliver of that magic after a while. That is not meant to be a jab to James insomuch as it just speaks to the reality of what tends to happen to players that deep into their career.

Furthermore, the type of seasons certain players had affected the voting. Antetokounmpo is an MVP finalist, and will likely win that award. Not to mention guys like Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard, whose teams remain in the playoff picture at this juncture.

Therefore, as was said before, winning certainly played a major role in this season’s voting process. This should not be too big of a shock, and hopefully, Lakers’ fans can understand that factored into why their star made the Third Team.

Even though the Lakers had a woeful 2018-2019 season, LeBron still carried a bulky load for the Lakers. Without him, the team would not have been very relevant.

At the end of the day, the distinction is quite impressive. Per a press release written on the team site, LeBron made an All-NBA roster for the 15th time. Only three other players in league history have accomplished that and two of the three are former Lakers. They are as follows: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, and former Spurs’ standout Tim Duncan.

At any rate, James did fine statistically in 2018-2019, as expected. Assuming he can stay healthy, it gives the Lakers a better chance of making the playoffs next year. In that event, it would surely place him in the conversation to be a First Team caliber guy again.