It is impossible for a 38-year-old player to be among the top 15 in the NBA in points, assists, steals, field goal percentage and Player Efficiency Rating (PER). But there has never been a player like LeBron James. He’s played against multiple opponents whose parents were in the league during his rookie season (that’s a nice way of saying he’s old), and yet he’s still the better player most nights.
In the Lakers’ first 14 games of the season, James has averaged 26.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 6.5 assists with an excellent 58.6% in field goals and 39.7% in triples. They are not empty statistics, he is one of the most valuable players in the NBA. According to Cleaning the Glass, the Lakers are 28.4 points per 100 possessions better when he is on the court.
How is it possible that James is still so good at his age? Let’s see it.
Why is LeBron James still so good?
LeBron is having a great year both shooting and driving to the basket
Considering James wasn’t a great shooter coming into the league, it’s surprising how good he’s become. He has increased his 3-point percentage from 29.0% as a rookie to 39.7% this season, the second-best mark of his career.
His excellent aim is not limited to the 3-point line. James is also shooting a career-high 68% from 2-point range., which is mostly due to his ridiculous finishing at the rim. According to Cleaning the Glass, he’s shooting 81.7 percent of his shots from within three feet, better than his best days as MVP.
If you think James has penetrated more this year, you’re right. According to NBA statistics, it is up to the highest number of penetrations since the 2019-2020 bubble season. His field goal percentage after drives is an absurd 67.1%. He is the best of any player who averages at least six penetrations per game. James is still basically unstoppable.
LeBron’s understanding of the game remains unmatched
Something that will never get old is James’ preparation and his vast knowledge of the league. Norman Powell recently told a story on Paul George’s podcast about how he faced James in the Playoffs as a member of the Raptors. James knew his playbook so well that he explained to one of Powell’s teammates the play he was supposed to make.
James continues to demonstrate that extraordinary acumen in every game. On Sunday, he pointed out to teammate D’Angelo Russell that the Rockets were trying to set up a tackle before it happened by blocking the top option.
James also showed his intelligence on the other end of the court, clearing everyone and carrying Dillon Brooks to hit the winning free throws.
LeBron dominates as a small forward
In recent years, there has been a trend to play James in higher positions. He had taken on more minutes at center, which was potentially more taxing on his body. This season, the Lakers have more size on their roster. As a result, James is playing more minutes at small forward than he has since the Lakers won the title in 2020.
Those James lineups at small forward, where he’s usually paired with Christian Wood and one of Anthony Davis or Jaxson Hayes, have been terrible. In 179 possessions, he is crushing opponents, outscoring them by 41.4 points per 100 possessions. A good example of how dominant James can be in those smaller matchups came Sunday against the Rockets. Even against perimeter defenders like Brooks, he’s too strong to be stopped going downhill.
James dominated Brooks, making him stumble backwards on thrusts, pulling right over him, stepping over him, or getting right up to his spot and giving him the thumbs-up gesture. “too small” after a basket.
James continues to play most of his minutes as a power forward, but those periods as a small forward give him a good break and allow him to crush the smaller players.
LeBron seems healthier than ever
James has always taken his health very seriously, spending $1.5 million a year to stay in shape through cryotherapy, hyperbaric chambers and other expenses. Despite those precautions, he has suffered numerous nagging injuries as he has aged, limiting him to an average of 52 games over the previous three years.
This season he seems healthier than ever. He has only missed one of the Lakers’ first 14 games, and his 34.4 minutes per game ranks 29th in the league. That health is helping him have more practice time to fine-tune his game.
“I’ve been able to be on the court a lot more during off days this year due to past injuries the last two years with my foot or whatever the case may be,” James told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “So being able to hone in on everything I have to do instead of having to get off my feet, unless we’re playing games, has allowed me to keep up the pace,” he added.
James is reducing the strain on his body by being more judicious in the minutes he plays. His usage, an estimate of how many possessions he uses, is at one of the lowest rates of his career. And according to NBA statistics, he has been assisted on 54.3 percent of his shots this season, which is by far the highest rate of his career.
James is still capable of taking charge of games, but he picks and chooses his spots more wisely, letting his teammates do the heavy lifting more often than ever.
James continues to play at a top 10 level. That is something we should not take for granted. The Estimated Plus-Minus (EPM), one of the league’s most respected impact statistics, ranks him as the fifth-highest impact player in the league to date. He is truly unique, and he still has a lot to do.
2023-11-21 15:48:09
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