LeBron James takes control of the Lakers



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LeBron James is more like LeBron James of yesteryear in recent weeks. Well, except Tuesday night.

His score has increased and his impact on Los Angeles Lakers games has also increased. Not by chance, they earn more. They have won seven out of ten victories, even after losing 32 points to the Denver Nuggets.

Is it because he became more comfortable in his new environment? Of course, that probably plays a role.

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Is it because his teammates learn to play with him and vice versa? Without a doubt.

But that does not seem to be the real foundation. What seems to have brought James back on track, is that he's back in his comfort zone to play again as a leader. It was not designed in this way, but it is doing more and more as the season progresses, especially after Rajon Rondo became inactive because of a broken the hand.

Since Rondo had to leave a game in Portland and get surgery later, James manages the ball almost a minute longer than before, according to Second Spectrum's tracking data. This is a big increase because the Lakers have so many advantages in pushing the ball in transition that statistics on handling the ball can be a little twisted. Meanwhile, James has increased his point average by five points per game.

In fact, his stats have improved in all areas, including his shots, which have been fired since Rondo's departure. The Lakers benefit. Even "the owner owner owner". Lonzo Ball fills the alleys with bribes and comes out of his shell at James' request.

Advanced scouts who followed the Lakers report that Ball is often out of hand when James plays in the game with him. Just ask yourself if this arrangement is really your destiny to play together in the future, especially if Ball is able to improve his external shot and show a good disposition to handle the ball as he l & # 39; 39, has made in recent games. Ball suffered a sprained ankle Tuesday, which could temporarily inactivate him and make it even more difficult for James to handle the ball in the short term.

LeBron James takes on the role of de facto shipowner for the Lakers Jake Roth / USA TODAY Sports

This is probably because controlling the ball and controlling the attack is the way James has been conditioned to play in the last 15 seasons. He won the title of most useful player and titles acting as de facto leader. That's what she is, although she sometimes tends to exhaust her mentally and physically.

James complained to the Cavs management of the need to include more game creators on the list in order to ease this burden in recent years. It was not that the Cavs coaches and the head office ignored it, but simply that all their data showed that they were better when James was the main creator of games. They regretted / did not regret not having removed the balloon.

When James came to the Lakers, he had the idea of ​​being able to play more without a ball, to use his poster skills and to spend less energy in general. That was the idea behind Rondo's signature and Lance Stephenson … would prevent James from doing the same thing during the creation.

But as you will tell those who have been close to James over the years, here is James' July version, when he sits on a couch with a glass of wine and talks about the philosophy of basketball. And there's the mid-season version of James, who wants to win above all else and confides above all others to get there. As usual, the latter is manifested as and when the games accumulate.

When Rondo was active and he and Ball shared the shipowners' tasks, that partly happened. When he was playing with Rondo, James had on average less ball possession time than players like Zach LaVine and Jamal Murray. When Rondo is out, James' ball handling time depends on John Wall, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul. Basically, where he's been for years.

And these post-ups? James averages half of the paint stroke per game he made with the Cavs. He can not be placed in the mail because most of the time, the Lakers counter-attack or trust James for creating offensive games.

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Scouts also realized that when James is a leader, he rarely turns to the bench to receive calls from players of coach Luke Walton. Even when he has seen them, the listeners say that he ignores them and runs the room he prefers. Walton's adapted, and now, when James directs the series, normally, Walton simply allows him to call the party. This should probably not be considered a mistake, but simply that James is James.

In fact, Walton did a good job limiting James' number of minutes and using the depth that he has in the back line to lighten the load so that James could be a little cooler. He averages 35 minutes, the lowest total of his career.

It did take Walton a bit to understand how comfortable James was in the rotation. There was a game in Minnesota earlier in the season when Walton pulled James out with just five minutes of play to set the rotation so James could finish each set. James was troubled, to say the least.

In summary, things are improving positively for the Lakers. James returns to his comfort zone and, whether or not in the original game plan, he helps.

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