"He was at the peak of his powers": Kevon Looney recalls nightmare of guarding LeBron James during his solitary 50-point playoff game

Kevon Looney was the starting center for the Golden State Warriors when LeBron James dropped a playoff career-high 51 points in Game 1 of the 2018 NBA finals. James was unstoppable in that game, single-handedly torching the Dubs' defense. It didn't matter who got switched onto him, including Looney, who could hold his own against James' superhuman strength.

Looney has had the opportunity to guard that version of LeBron and the most recent one, which wasn't close to anything to what the Lakers star could do five years ago. In an interview with Sportskeeda's Mark Medina, Looney compared the two distinct versions of LeBron, saying:

“It was different. LeBron had 51 [points] in Game 1 against us in 2018. He was on the peak of his powers in that series. He was probably more in control of the game and involved in every play and every timeout in that series.

"I think last year he was more with going with the flow and picking his spots. He’d turn it on at certain times in the game. In ’18, he was on the whole time and in control of every possession and every play. Last year, he picked his spots."

By no means was Kevon Looney implying that LeBron James isn't impactful. He said the Lakers star is still 'in control' of his team. However, James is now more comfortable letting his teammates carry some of the pressure.

"He’s still in control," said Looney. "Even with his voice, you know where he is. But he would let Austin Reaves control the ball a little bit. He would let D-Lo [D’Angelo Russell] get going. He was more cerebral with picking his spots."

Click here to read Mark Medina's full exclusive with Kevon Looney.

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LeBron James left Golden State Warriors confused after passive approach in 2023 playoffs

'Father time' is catching up to LeBron James. It was evident in his 20th NBA season. James' impact was further reduced with a foot injury in February, which he needed several months to recover. However, James rushed his return to the court with the Lakers pushing to achieve a favorable seeding in the Western Conference postseason scenario.

To ensure he preserved his energy for crucial junctures of a game, James took a more passive approach, letting other players like Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura lead the team. James would often stand in the corner and only make plays where the Lakers needed him the most.

It's the first time he took that approach in his career. The Warriors core that faced him in four finals runs was also confused with what LeBron James was doing exactly.

"It's very interesting you are not used to seeing LeBron off the ball so much, and so I thought that was interesting and something that we'll have to adjust to. It's just not your typical LeBron running the show, which is a bit weird,” Draymond Green said on his podcast.

James trusted his teammates to make the right plays, even in the clutch. He wasn't running the show, but there's no denying that 'King James' again did what was best for the team in this scenario, and the results were there to show for it.

LA beat the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies in round one and handed the Golden State Warriors their first defeat in the Western Conference playoffs under Steve Kerr's rein. The Lakers made the conference finals against all expectations, so there's not much room to complain about LeBron James' approach.