Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James continues to laugh in the face of Father Time as he followed up his unbelievable 47-point, 10-rebound, 9-assist performance on his 38th birthday with a 43-point, 11-rebound, 6-assist outing on Monday night in the win over the Charlotte Hornets.
LeBron looks closer to being 28 years old than 38 at this point, regularly taking over games and putting up statistical performances on par with what he would do in a normal player’s prime years. But obviously James isn’t normal and the Lakers continue to benefit from his greatness.
For LeBron to have continued to play this well at his age is truly remarkable, and while the performances are similar, what goes into them is different at this stage of his career and the Lakers star went into detail about the difference in putting on this type of performance in Year 20, via NBA.com:
“Well the difference between 38 and 18 and 20, at 18 and 20 you’re just doing it off straight up energy and just straight skill. It’s just like ‘I’ma just go out here and just play free, just jump all over the place. I know I’m more athletic than everybody. I know I’m faster than everybody. Whatever happens lets just go out and play free.’ Where at 38 for me, it’s mental, it’s the mental side. It’s how much rest I can get from day to day, get my optimal sleep, and make sure I get the right food in me, treat my body and get my body right and things of that nature.
“I don’t think at 18 you had to worry about getting 8 or 9 hours of sleep at night. You didn’t have to worry about making sure that you was doing everything that you needed to do to be ready you could really just go out and not stretch and just be at the highest level. Not saying that I ever did that, cuz I’ve always been on top of my body. But it’s just always about giving back to the game and treating the game the right way cuz the ‘Game Gods’ will always pay you back if you just always give and commit to the game the right way and I’m still trying to do this at this point of my career.”
It is what truly separates James from anyone else who has ever played the game. For his body to still be functioning at this high of a level is simply remarkable and is just shows that he has taken nothing for granted throughout his career.
Thomas Bryant said that it is important for the Lakers not to take LeBron James’ greatness for granted, but that applies to everyone as we are all witnessing something that is unlikely to ever take place again.
LeBron James offers thoughts and prayers to Bills safety Damar Hamlin
Unfortunately, James and all of the other amazing performances in the NBA were overshadowed Monday night by the scary situation that happened during Monday Night Football when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field in the first quarter.
Obviously LeBron didn’t know much about exactly what happened, but the Lakers star still offered his thoughts and prayers to Hamlin, his family and the Bills organization.
Hamlin is currently in critical condition in a Cincinnati hospital after suffering cardiac arrest on the field.
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