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Dave McMenamin, ESPN editor
PHOENIX – LeBron James“Pre-season is over, giving the 39-year-old Los Angeles Lakers play every week off between video games earlier than Tuesday’s common season opener towards the Minnesota Timberwolves.
James was dominated out of the Lakers’ recreation Thursday towards the Phoenix Sunsand a supply near James’ plans confirmed to ESPN that the ahead won’t play in Los Angeles’ preseason finale Friday towards the Warriors of the Golden State.
TNT’s Jared Greenberg first reported James’ plans throughout the Lakers-Suns broadcast.
James enters his twenty second season, tying Vince Carter for the very best place in league historical past.
“Previous DNP,” Lakers coach JJ Redick joked about why James was resting throughout his pregame remarks Thursday. “Get him out of [Gregg Popovich’s] ebook.”
Redick was referring to San Antonio Spurs The coach cited Tim Duncan, then 36, as being “outdated” when his workforce was taking part in three video games in 4 nights throughout the huge man’s penultimate season in 2013-14.
James completed the preseason averaging 12 factors on 46.9% taking pictures (57.1% from 3), 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and three.0 turnovers in 18.5 minutes on three matches. LA went 1-2. Redick had initially hoped to make use of Thursday as an prolonged gown rehearsal and permit gamers to relaxation Friday in San Francisco on the second night time of a back-to-back, however these plans modified with James and Rui Hachimura (calf tightness) each towards the Suns.
“I believe it’s important to have a look at all of the elements and you do not usually dwell in an idealized world on this league, and that is OK,” Redick mentioned. “You aren’t getting issues precisely the way in which you need on this league fairly often, and that is positive. We had a gown rehearsal – recreation day taking pictures, movie session, all that – right now. And We’ll do the identical factor for our pregame. That is simply the primary time we have carried out this all preseason.
“So we have been nonetheless in a position to do some issues we needed to do.”
