Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James Strategy Called Unsustainable By NBA Analyst

LeBron James, even at 40 years old, continues to deliver remarkable performances for the Los Angeles Lakers .

However, Bill Simmons has expressed skepticism, not regarding Jamess current play, but concerning his ability to sustain this level of performance over the long term.

James recently suffered a groin injury on Saturday, which is expected to sideline him for one to two weeks.

Following the Lakers acquisition of Luka Doncic, the teams depth has been significantly reduced.

Consequently, James has often had to compensate for this lack of depth by playing extended minutes.

As Simmons predicted , this increased workload has contributed to Jamess recent injury.

On his podcast, Simmons elaborated on his concerns and placed the responsibility on the Lakers organization.

Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James Overcompensating LeBron got hurt, which you know, he tweaked the groin, well see how long hes out, Simmons said.

This is the problem when youre overcompensating for these things that are missing.

You can fly around, and you can look really good on a Thursday night game, but its not sustainable.

You cant put that kind of rebounding and defensive pressure on LeBron.

They might drop down now to the 4 or 5 seed.

We might get Lakers vs.

Warriors Round 1, its not inconceivable at this point.

Which I think would be just a nuts series.

Jamess continued display of his multifaceted game, even at his advanced age, has not entirely alleviated Bill Simmonss concerns.

While James is averaging 34.9 minutes per game, his responsibilities have expanded, particularly with Anthony Daviss absence.

Without Davis, the Los Angeles Lakers have relied more heavily on James for defensive assignments.

Although James is capable defensively, this increased workload is not ideal, given his primary role in carrying the offensive load and initiating plays.

However, with the arrival of Luka Doncic, theres been a noticeable shift.

Doncics elite ball-handling and shot-creation skills provide James with an offensive partner he hasnt had since Kyrie Irving, allowing him to allocate more energy to the defensive side of the court.

Nevertheless, expecting a 40-year-old James to consistently defend at an All-NBA level is not sustainable.

With the team aiming for a playoff spot, prioritizing his health is paramount, despite his remarkable durability.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick has emphasized the need for increased defensive intensity in Jamess absence, but losing a player of his caliber inevitably poses a significant challenge.

The Lakers can only hope for a swift recovery for James.

However, even a speedy return will not fully dispel Simmonss lingering concerns about the long-term sustainability of Jamess performance.

This article first appeared on LAFB Network and was syndicated with permission..

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