The Los Angeles Lakers kicked off their four-game road trip with a nail-biting 105-104 victory over the Utah Jazz. The win showcased a side of LeBron James that fans aren’t used to seeing, as he adapted to a different role in head coach JJ Redick’s scheme.
With both D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves unavailable, LeBron stepped into the playmaker role, dishing out 14 assists while also dropping 27 points. Following the game, James explained how he and Anthony Davis worked to exploit mismatches to help secure the win.
“It’s something we haven’t done, but tonight called for that,” James said. “Obviously, we had a lot of our big guns out with AR and DLo, so we had to go to something more of a two-man game with myself and AD, which obviously our team may not be as comfortable with, but AD and I are.”
“So we just tried to put the other guys on the floor in comfortable positions where they could read and react if anything breaks down,” he added. Despite stepping into an unfamiliar role, James once again proved his versatility, delivering exactly what the team needed.
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks during the second half against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. (Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
LeBron James’ adjusted usage rate
For the first time in his 22-year NBA career, LeBron James is experiencing a notably lower usage rate, as is at 28.2%. While this has been an adjustment for the four-time MVP, he acknowledged the unique demands of the game against the Jazz.
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“This is the lowest usage rate of my career, so it has definitely been an adjustment… Tonight felt a little bit more like normal,” James admitted. “Obviously with AR and DLo out, the ball-handling responsibilities happened more, and I had to do that today. It felt like normal for myself. But the way we want to play this year is a little bit different, and I’m adjusting to it as well.”
LeBron on the Lakers’ road trip
After a solid start to their road trip, the Lakers now prepare for a tough matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. James emphasized the importance of teamwork during this demanding stretch.
“You got to figure it out,” he said. “Lean on each other. If you don’t have it, you don’t have the energy, lean on the guy next to you. So it’s gonna be a tough road trip first starting [in] Utah, back-to-back [games in] Minnesota, Miami, and then Atlanta, last game of the trip. So we gotta be ready to go.”
