Lebron James, who is recently averaging close to 40 points a game, declares he is having "the time of his life." His team, on the other hand - the Los Angeles Lakers - are getting their doors blown off most every night. They are currently 11 games under .500. I wonder if his teammates are having as much fun as he. Lebron seems to have taken the tact, "Hey, I'm winning my match-ups every night. They're the ones losing."
Something has changed with Lebron. He was "old school" - of the fraternity of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Kobe Bryant. There, losing is hateful. That's all. Suddenly, Lebron finds a way to factor losing into a good night?
Hands Down, Play Ball
Defense wins games; offense sells tickets. This might have presented a conundrum, except NBA teams, and the league, itself, work from separate paradigms. Teams want to win games. They will be happy winning a game 50-49. The league, on the other hand, wants shoot-outs. It doesn't care who wins. When offenses are spectacular, ratings rise; the league wins. And, the league has made this decision: Hands down, play ball.
The NBA will not admit it, but it discourages defense. (Why do you think they let players "step" all over the place?) Contesting shots only slow the game down. And teams - certainly players - are willing falling in line. Think about it: They accumulate most of their fouls on the defensive side of the ball. Play too much defense, like Giannis Antetokounmpo did the other night, and you end up fouling out, which severely limits your offensive output. Just ain't worth it. Besides, adulation, pay checks, post season honors, are all infinitely more impacted by offensive production, than what is done at the other end of the court.
Lebron James know what time it is. Once a stellar defender, he now saves his 37-year-old legs for the offensive end of the court. He doesn't win many games, these days, but as he, himself, says, he is having a damned good time.
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