As minutes add up, LeBron James vows he can play more during stretch run
NEW ORLEANS – As much as LeBron James – with all the games (1,238) and minutes played (48,813) in his career – needs fewer minutes per game the remainder of the season so he’s rested and ready for a deep playoff run, the Cavs need him on the court even more in the final 27 games of the regular season.
All-Star forward Kevin Love (left knee surgery) is out until at least late March, and shooting guard J.R. Smith isn’t expected to return for at least a few weeks, and oh, the Boston Celtics are just three games behind the Cavs, the Washington Wizards just five back and the Toronto Raptors just acquired Serge Ibaka.
James is playing 37.5 minutes per game, and if that average holds, it will be his highest per-game minutes since his 2013-14 season. Given the Cavs' injury situation and desire to maintain the top seed – though that’s not an end-all, be-all – James minutes might increase. He’s averaging 38.2 minutes since Dec. 1.
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In some previous seasons when his minutes climb, he has said his playing time needs to decrease. In his 14th NBA season – how many seasons does he have left? – James, 32, is not saying that now.
“When I’m done playing the game of basketball, I’m going to wish that I would’ve had two more minutes in the fourth quarter of a certain game,” James said.
Now, it’s whatever it takes. Cavs coach Ty Lue has received criticism for playing him too many minutes this season, and James is leaving it up to the coaching staff to decide when he needs fewer.
“Now, my coaching staff, they’re going to do what’s best for the team as well,” James said. “Me being a competitor, me loving the game that I love every single day, I don’t have always have the right assessment of me playing a lot of minutes. That’s why I have the coaching staff and training staff have to say, “You’ve played in six straight Finals. You’ve played this amount of minutes. Take it easy today. Take the day off.’ ”
It’s clear based on his comments Saturday he will play as many minutes as necessary, saying earlier this week that he will rest when his career is over.
“I have enough left for whatever,” James said. “I was ready to play another Finals after Game 7 last year. Give me one or two days’ rest, and I would’ve been ready to go again.”
After six consecutive Finals appearances – which other than James has only been accomplished by a small group of Celtics players from the 1950s and 1960s – the future Hall of Famer realizes deep playoff runs and Finals appearances don’t last forever.
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James is fond of the “Father Time is undefeated” line. At a point in one’s life, time becomes the enemy. Take advantage now, while it’s still possible. Even James shook his head when it registered that he was the oldest All-Star this weekend, until his good friend Carmelo Anthony was added to the team.
“I couldn't believe it at first,” James said. “For some odd reason, I was like ‘I know Marc Gasol and (Paul) Millsap are older than me. And then it came out those guys are like six months or three months or two months younger than me, and I was like, ‘wow.’
“It put everything in perspective as far as where I've come from and how long I've been playing this game. But at the same time, it was like, wow, man, it's a humbling thing to know that I'm still at an All-Star level.”
And not only just an All-Star, but a likely first-team All-NBA performer and an MVP candidate. This season is turning out to be one of his best seasons amid a career of great seasons.
“Being an MVP-caliber player is my goal every year,” James said. “Do I receive the award? It’s not up to me. But do I approach the game as the MVP every single night? Absolutely.”
He’s averaging 25.9 points, 8.8 assists and 7.7 rebounds and shooting 53.9% from the field and 38.9% on three-pointers.That strong three-point percentage has made him even more difficult to guard, and with James on the court, the offense hums, generating 113.8 points per 100 possessions.
“It's a humbling thing to know that I'm still at an All-Star level,” James said. “The way I'm playing the game right now at my age, as long as I've been playing with the miles that I've been playing, to know that I'm still at this game and still an All-Star starter, it means a lot too.”
It recalled a comment Hall of Famer Karl Malone made when James won his fourth MVP award in 2013. “I’m going to say this,” Malone told USA TODAY Sports, “Enjoy LeBron James, because when he’s gone, you might not see anything like that for 20, 30 years.”
Follow Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt.