SUMMARY
- LeBron James and the Lakers will be facing the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs for the third time in five years.
- James claims injuries aren't much of a concern this season than they were during the Conference Finals in 2023.
LeBron James will be making his 11th playoff run in the NBA against the Denver Nuggets. The Los Angeles Lakers met the Nuggets late last season and the latter managed to win the title. Many consider Denver to be the hardest matchup for the Lakers in the postseason. According to some, if LA defeated them in the first round, it wouldn’t take much from them to compete in the NBA Finals.
25+ points per game for TWENTY straight seasons. Continued greatness. pic.twitter.com/HmgnUbQQQ7
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 19, 2024
The Lakers will play against the Nuggets on Saturday and the defending champions have a home-court advantage. Coming into the Play-In Tournament, injuries were a major concern for the Lakers. Anthony Davis suffered from back spasms during the season closer against the New Orleans Pelicans. Of course, James has also faced a couple of ailments that still bother him, specifically around his ankle.
LeBron James feels more prepared to take on the Denver Nuggets than last year
LeBron James and Nikola Jokic will be meeting in the playoffs for the third time in five years. The 4x NBA Champion addressed the similarities or differences that they carry between each other. He said, “We have similar components to our game what we bring to the table. Obviously, there are different names on the back of the jersey. But the way we play the game or how we were taught to play the game, are quite similar.”
During last year’s playoff run, the Lakers, especially LeBron had to deal with a lot of injuries. James still claims he isn’t fully healthy. He said, “I was in treatment banged up from the last two weeks in the season last year, through the whole post-season. I’m not a hundred but I don’t think anybody is a hundred right now. But I feel better than I did last year.” Earlier this season, the former 4x League MVP suffered from peroneal tendonitis. He began receiving treatment before the 2024 All-Star break moving into the second half of the season.
LeBron James reminds the NBA world of his looming retirement
While LeBron James was being interviewed, he was asked if he embraces the playoffs more now than when he was younger. He said, “No, not really. Cause I just know I don’t have much time left to play the game that I love. So, every moment I get on the floor, it’s a treat. Post-season, regular season, play-in, in-season tournament, it’s all pretty cool ’cause I’m on the last few stages of my career.”
📍 Denver pic.twitter.com/SQWgwITA9z
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 19, 2024
James has repeatedly brought up the fact that he won’t be in the NBA for much longer. He has always expressed his desire to play alongside Bronny James before retiring. Bronny has entered into the 2024 NBA Draft and could potentially play alongside his father next season. It is very possible that James will play his final season next year or at least take one more shot at the title before hanging up his jersey.