4 Lakers who are underperforming, 3 exceeding expectations at the All-Star break
By Tyler Watts
Exceeding expectations: LeBron James
LeBron is still elite. The 39-year-old has to slow down at some point, but it hasn’t happened yet. He is averaging 24.8 points, 7.8 assists, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 steals in 34.9 minutes per game. James is shooting 52.0 percent from the field, 39.5 percent on his 3-point tries, and 74.1 percent from the foul line. He has been outstanding and played in 49 of their first 56 games.
The NBA’s all-time leading scorer should be slowing down. Karl Malone is the only other player to average more than 20 points per game at 39 years old with a minimum of ten games. Even Michael Jordan put up just 17.9 a night at 39. Stars are usually fading, but not King James.
Can he will the Lakers on another deep playoff run? It won’t be easy. LeBron is otherworldly, but the Lakers do not want to push him too far. He has played over 67,000 minutes in his NBA career. There are a ton of miles on his tires, and the franchise needs to keep him healthy if they want to compete for a championship.
LeBron has another massive decision to make this summer. Does he accept his $51.4 million player option or test free agency? The Warriors attempted to snag him at the deadline, and there will be plenty of interest if James hits the open market.