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Gilbert Arenas has made a public plea, demanding LeBron James' LA Lakers teammates to step up and help protect the 'King' amidst his injury concerns.
Father time has started to catch up with James over the last three seasons. He hasn't been able to stay fit for long stretches like he used to, with various muscle injuries affecting him during his time in LA.
LeBron James is once again dealing with another injury (knee soreness), but is playing through it as the LA Lakers are in a tough spot. No player on the roster has been as consistent as him, and the Lakers have struggled to win games in James' absence.
Arenas did not hold back, mentioning on his recent podcast, 'No Chill- With Gilbert Arenas,' that the rest of the Lakers players need to perform better to reduce the load on James. He said:
"I think that, you know, as teammates, you really do need to look in the mirror and say, we're shortening this man's career; we're shortening our chances to winning more championships. Becuase if he has to do this, to keep us above water, that means we're not really doing our jobs."
Arenas also added that James would adjust to his teammates if they play to their potential. He wrote:
"LeBron will adjust to you. That’s what stars do. Trust me, he will thank you if you get your buckets; just do you and protect this man. He shouldn’t be carrying y’all!!!"
James leads the LA Lakers in points per game scored by some margin this season.
The four-time MVP is averaging 29 points, while playing 36.7 minutes per game. The rest of the group, especially his co-stars Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis, haven't been as consistent, though, leading to the Lakers' struggles.
LeBron James leads LA Lakers to thumping win heading into All-Star break
The LA Lakers ended their dismal pre-All-Star break campaign with a comeback win over the Utah Jazz.
James produced a solid performance, scoring 15 of 33 points to lead the Lakers to a much-needed win. LA were in a tough spot early on, as Anthony Davis left the court due to an ankle injury in the second half.
The Lakers trailed by 14 points before eventually winning by five. The Lakers have performed brilliantly since the trade deadline. Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis have played their parts well, which has led to improvement in the team's fortunes.
