The Los Angeles Lakers face a daunting stretch to start March, as the NBA schedule leaves little room for rest. With a packed slate of games, the team will aim to hold onto their playoff position. LeBron James, the team’s veteran leader, voiced his concerns on Instagram, highlighting the challenge ahead.
The Lakers are set to play six games in just eight days, including matchups against the Milwaukee Bucks (twice), Denver Nuggets (twice), Phoenix Suns, and San Antonio Spurs.
Faced with the tight Lakers schedule, James reacted via a story on his official Instagram account, with a strong three-word message: “This is INSANE!!!!” LeBron wrote.
LeBron on Lakers’ focus with Doncic
While James remains the Lakers’ cornerstone, he acknowledges the team’s evolving priorities with Luka Doncic now in the fold. As James approaches the later stages of his storied career, the franchise is pivoting to build around the Slovenian superstar.
LeBron James #23 and Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers react after Doncic was fouled during the third quarter at Crypto.com Arena. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
“It’s going to be a process for the rest of the season, as he [Doncic] continues to learn what we want to do offensively and defensively—our system, our calls, and our cadence,” James shared during a post-game interview. “We also have to figure out and learn from him as well. He’s such a great and unbelievable talent. We need to be able to play with him just as much as he needs to play with us”.
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James underscored the significance of Doncic’s integration into the team’s system, making it clear where their focus lies. “Every day, every game, every practice, every shootaround, every film session, we’ve got to continue getting better and better at integrating our new parts. But he’s definitely priority number one,” James added.
LeBron shares key to competing in the NBA
With 22 seasons under his belt, James believes that relentless effort is the cornerstone of competing at the highest level. He emphasized that playing with intensity often compensates for mistakes made during games.
“The best way to compete in this league is to play hard. You can get through a lot of games if you’re able to just play hard,” James said. “You’re able to cover up for a lot of mistakes. We had 24 turnovers for 31 points. I had half of those. … It definitely makes up for it when you’re able to cover for one another and you’re able to play hard. It’s going to help us win a lot of ballgames”.
