Dave McMenamin | ESPNReading: 5 minutes
Durant shines in Suns’ win over LeBron and Lakers
Durant scored 21 points in the first half, while James scored 19 points. The two players haven’t seen each other on the court since 2018, when Durant was still playing in Golden State.
LeBron James says he’s “motivated” enough and doesn’t need a sometimes contentious summer with the Nuggets to help him prepare for the opener against the defending NBA champions.
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Five months away from being eliminated from the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets, and just days before LeBron James will face the same opponent to start another season ( In his 21st season in the NBA), LeBron James generally took a tough stance when asked about the championship guard on Saturday.
“Facing opponents, I’m not motivated anymore,” James said after the Lakers’ final training camp practice before the start of the regular season in Denver on Tuesday. “I don’t need it. I don’t want to say I’m not motivated to compete because I’m motivated against competition and I love competing against the best. But I don’t need an individual or a team to motivate me. I’m very motivated. “I fed up. “
James ended his 20th season with 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. James played the full 48 minutes, but it still wasn’t enough to prevent Los Angeles from losing the game 113-111 and the series 4-0. The 38-year-old veteran told ESPN after the game that he would consider retiring this offseason after the season took a toll on him both mentally and physically.
The Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals to win their first championship in franchise history and visited Los Angeles multiple times as part of a celebratory trip. Denver head coach Michael Malone was introduced as the “Father of the Lakers” during the team’s parade. Malone, who served as James’ assistant coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers, also mocked former players’ retirement sentiments.
“Speaking of the Lakers, I just want you to know, this is breaking news, I’m considering retiring, so don’t tell anyone,” Malone said during a guest appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
In June, James appeared to address Malone on his Instagram without mentioning him by name. “I hear you care about me, right?” I mean, I think I understand why… Enjoy your light, but remember I am the sun. “
Asked on Saturday what makes him respond to the many critics who have leveled at him over his decades-long career, and what makes him choose silence at times, James promised to rant about them one day in the distant future. .
“One day,” James said. “When that moment will come, I don’t know. I don’t know if it will be now or…sometime in the future. Surely one day everyone will understand.”
For now, he’s hoping for a chance to add a fifth title to his already impressive resume.
“(I still) see the Larry O’Brien Trophy in my mind every day,” James said.
Lakers coach Davon Hamm said this week that he believes eight teams are “legitimate contenders” this season and “I like our chances more than anybody else.”
James echoed his coach’s confidence, but he wouldn’t rank Los Angeles among other teams.
“We can be a very good team,” James said. He added: “I didn’t even look at Joan. It was too valuable, the game was too valuable, and I wouldn’t play with the Gods of Basketball like that. “I don’t take it for granted. “
On Saturday, Ham finally named his fifth starter for the opener, revealing that Taurean Prince will join James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reeves and D’Angelo Russell Make the first team. Jarred Vanderbilt, who held the position last season, was reevaluated Friday with heel soreness and participated in limited practice. Vanderbilt is involved in the team’s day-to-day schedule, and Ham said he “most likely” won’t play against Denver.
As Vanderbilt continues to improve, Los Angeles is at least getting its leader back to 100 percent after James missed 27 games last season with a right foot injury.
“It took a few months, but when I was able to start training again, I was able to do some things that I hadn’t been able to do throughout the playoffs, maybe even before the playoffs,” James said By the time he reached his offseason, he said he was recovering. “My workouts started getting better, my breathing started getting better, my fast-twitch muscles started getting better. I didn’t have to think about it as much.
“It was such a good feeling, just getting the engine back.”