Rejuvenated and reenergized, LeBron James brushed off any concern or speculation about the lengthy playing break he took for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Right after the Lakers’ 116-113 home victory against the Memphis Grizzlies, James revealed that he feels “pretty good” after his brief hiatus, further noting that he needed time to recover from the ailing foot injury that has been bothering him from the past couple of years.
“It’s not behind me,” James said of his foot issues, per The Athletic’s Jovan Buha. “It’s an everyday thing. … But I was able to do some great things (on my break).”
Prior to Sunday’s game against the Grizzlies, James sat down in the Lakers’ last two matches due to left foot soreness. As such, his absence was extended beyond the games as he left the team temporarily due to personal reasons.
In total, it gave James eight significant days of no competitive basketball activity. But the Lakers star further argued that he remained stuck to his rehab and grind despite the absence.
“A lot of rehabbing. A lot of training still,” James clarified. “I made it sure that I was a lot ready tonight [against the Grizzlies].
Playing in his 22nd NBA campaign and approaching his 40th birthday in late December, James continues to mightily defy Father Time. But there were instances throughout this season that he struggled and showed signs of slowing down, particularly in the team’s brutal six-game stretch from Nov. 23 to Dec. 2 in which he averaged a horrendous 16.8 points on 39.8 percent shooting (10 percent from three)
Apparently, James is currently tallying his lowest scoring numbers (22.8) since his rookie season in 2003-04 (20.9).
For the Lakers, it’s just simply giving their franchise star the layoff he needed. As such, this provided wonders as LeBron’s recharged production of 18 points, 8 boards, and 8 assists against the Grizzlies have helped them carve two consecutive wins.
“I played 15 [seasons] and was emotionally, mentally, physically drained, fried. I put everything I had into this game,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game. “I had nothing left.
“For guys like him and [Chris Paul], Tom Bradys of the world, the Roger Federers of the world, it’s hard to comprehend having that level of sustained excellence for so long, because of the toll that it takes on all of you, not just your body.”
Upon reclaiming his aggressiveness this Sunday night, we can only hope that this will be a new and refreshing start for James to retake the league’s spotlight.
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