Of the many subplots heading into the first-round series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers is the rare chance for LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony to face-off in a playoff series.
This year’s series will be only the second time that the two players have faced each other in a playoff series. The first time was in the 2012 playoffs when LeBron’s Miami Heat knocked off Melo’s New York Knicks in five games. The Heat would go on to win the NBA Championship that year, LeBron’s first ring. But when asked about the match-up, Melo made it clear that it’s not him versus LeBron, but his Blazers against the Lakers.
“This is a chess game,” Anthony said on a zoom call with reporters when asked about playing LeBron in a series. “That’s what this is. It’s more of a mental challenge more than a physical challenge. Just studying the game, studying him, studying the way that they play. It’s not just focus on him, it’s a focus on the Lakers as a whole. They have other assets n the team that can do other things but for the most part Game 1 is like a boxing match. Jab, jab, jab. Feel the pace, see the adjustments, and feel the game out. Our mentality is that we are trying to win, it’s not about LeBron and the Lakers. It’s about what we can control.”
Anthony did add that the history he and James have together, both on and off the court, is the “fun part” about the match-up for him.
Game 1 between the Lakers and Blazers is set for 6 p.m. Pacific/9 p.m. tomorrow Eastern on TNT.
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