All season long in the NBA, the term “load management” has been trashed left and right by players, coaches and pundits complaining that today’s NBA players aren’t playing quite enough.
One of the people at the forefront of the opposition against load management has been LeBron James. Earlier this season, James went on a semi-rant saying that he doesn’t believe in load management, and that if he’s healthy, he’s going to play regardless of scheduling concerns with back-to-back games.
“Why wouldn’t I play if I’m healthy? It doesn’t make any sense to me. My obligation is to play for my teammates.”
That strategy for James, right or wrong, has held up this season. He’s yet to be a healthy scratch. He’s missed a few games here and there because of a strained groin, so what he said checks out.
On Saturday, however, James will sit out the second half of a road back-to-back against the Oklahoma City Thunder with… a cold?
Lakers star LeBron James will miss tonight's game in Oklahoma City due to a cold, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 11, 2020
Seriously? A cold? How bad is this cold? Naaaah. Come on, LeBron. There’s got to be more to it with that. We have to get an Instagram story with the sniffles and some tissue. Something.
But, man, it’s just hard to believe a player who allegedly played through the NBA Finals with a broken hand and prides himself on being available for every game he possibly can to sit out with a simple cold.
Twitter was torn. Some people don’t believe a player as great as LeBron can be out with just a cold.
#LeBronJames missing a game tonight because of a cold, here’s Michael Jordan in the NBA Finals in 1997 famously know as the “Flu Game”. I’m also one of the few that believes “The King” is on track to catch Air Jordan as the best of all time. Someone get Lebron a Z Pak! pic.twitter.com/mOA6pyHo75
— JT The Brick (@JTTheBrick) January 11, 2020
Others believe that he’s sick. And there’s ample evidence that proves he’s had a cold for a while.
For all the Twitter doctors on the timeline questioning LeBron being sick… he’s been on injury report under illness since before the Knicks game.
Also, talking to him postgame last night… it was pretty clear he wasn’t his usual self. https://t.co/JuLhlsdwyL
— Jorge Sedano (@Sedano) January 11, 2020
Some people are just here for the jokes.
Write a "LeBron James Has A Cold" feature, cowards https://t.co/HekjtLZVH8
— Dan Devine (@YourManDevine) January 11, 2020
I fall squarely in that last column. These jokes are good. Imagine how upset the Dallas Mavericks are that James dropped them off for 35 points, 16 rebounds and 7 assists last night…and then didn’t play the very next day.
That’s sick — literally?
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