After all these years, Doc Rivers and LeBron James just can’t get enough of each other.
Over the weekend, James reiterated his career-long stance that he would play so long as he is healthy after putting together a couple of big performances over the weekend to help the Los Angeles Lakers get to a now 24-4 record, following Tuesday’s loss to Indiana, tied with the Milwaukee Bucks for the best record in the NBA.
But the statement from LeBron over the weekend that got the most attention, aside from talking about his son Bronny, was about how he will not undergo “load management” so long as he is healthy enough to play. He was asked this because so far, he’s played in every game this season.
“If I’m healthy, I play … I mean, that should be the approach. Unless we’re getting late into the season, we’ve clinched and we can’t get any better — or any worse — I could benefit from that. But why wouldn’t I play if I’m healthy? It doesn’t make any sense to me, personally. I mean, I don’t know how many games I got left in my career. I don’t know how many kids that may show up to a game that are there to come see me play — and if I sit out, then what? That’s my obligation. My obligation is to play for my teammates and if I’m healthy, then I’m going to play. If coach sits me out, then I’m not healthy and it’s just simple.”
On Tuesday night, the talking point got to Clippers head coach Doc Rivers. Rivers, of course, coaches the NBA’s poster player for load management in Kawhi Leonard, who has been reportedly dealing with chronic leg injuries for a few years. When Rivers was asked about it, he said that resting players is “their philosophy” while implying that the Lakers philosophy is “whatever LeBron says it is.”
From USA TODAY’s Mark Medina
Doc Rivers on LeBron James’ take on load management pic.twitter.com/P7qdWqEQW6
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) December 18, 2019
Rivers is known to ruffle feathers during his press conferences so it shouldn’t be surprising that he took a shot at the Lakers and LeBron on Tuesday, but it certainly makes for even more intrigue heading into next Wednesday’s Christmas Day showdown between the Clippers and Lakers.
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