LeBron James is 31 years old and in the midst of his 13th professional season. He’s made a record five consecutive trips to the NBA Finals, honors his longstanding commitment to USA Basketball every summer, and still shoulders as much responsibility as any other player in the league.
It’s only natural, basically, that James would feel all that wear and tear with the stretch run of 2015-16 finally nearing. As the four-time MVP told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin on Wednesday, though, he’s apparently far fresher today than he was this time last season.
“Last year I was banged up. It’s not a mindset, it’s just reality. This year I feel 10 times better than I did last year. So that’s the mindset.”
James, remember, took two weeks off in late December and early January last year to rest and rehab nagging back and knee pain. The Cavaliers struggled mightily without him but promptly became a juggernaut upon his return to the floor, reeling off 34 wins in their last 44 games of the regular season.
Cleveland’s hometown hero has enjoyed no such time away from the court this season. He’s appeared in 54 of his team’s 55 games and played 35.9 minutes a night – a career-low number, but an average mere seconds less than his 2014-15 mark.
Though he’s obviously feeling “great” compared to last season, James is hardly under the delusion that a decade-plus of basketball at its absolute peak has left no toll on his body.
“I guess I’ve played so much basketball, man, feeling great, those days are pretty much over,” James said. “I don’t know anybody that’s played 13 years that you can say, ‘Oh, I woke up and I feel great.’ I feel great as far as life and getting an opportunity to wake up, but as far as me feeling like a 23-year old, those days are passed.”
Clearly.
LeBron, amazingly, still has a case as the game’s top overall athlete. He’s a physical marvel at 6’8 and 250 pounds, combining the strength and overall power of a big man with the speed and quickness of a guard. And obviously, James can still leap with the best of them when he really tries to sky.
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But there are still signs of minor athletic slippage nonetheless.
James’ free throw rate is the lowest its been since his rookie year. He’s shooting an elite but personally pedestrian 69.1 percent at the rim this season, and is on pace for fewer dunks per game than at any time in his career. Though his defensive numbers are stellar, LeBron isn’t immune to blow-bys when fully engaged these days, either.
Still, that’s mostly splitting hairs. If James’ perceived fall from the perch of basketball’s individual hierarchy is real, his troublingly wayward jumper and the rise of Steph Curry are to blame – not any sudden physical deficiencies. And as he explained before last season’s Finals, perhaps James’ mental approach to the game makes up for him being a half-step slower than he was in his prime.
Regardless, that its best player is healthy – relatively speaking, of course – with the postseason right around the corner is fantastic news for Cleveland. As he’s shown time and again, after all, playoff LeBron is a different beast than the player who so casually dominates the 82-game regular season grind.
(ESPN)
