LeBron James Says This Will Be The 'Toughest Championship Run' Of His Career
The day before the Lakers' first playoff run in seven years, assistant coach Lionel Hollins showed the team a two-minute video of Kobe Bryant.
It resonated with the players.
"It was a bit of a sermon that kind of tied in Kobe and what it means to be a Laker," Alex Caruso said in a videoconference call Monday. "It was pretty powerful."
The Lakers needed that reminder and perspective heading into the most bizarre situation of their careers.
On Monday afternoon, LeBron James wore a baseball cap that said "I Am More Than An Athlete" as he talked about the playoffs in the middle of a global pandemic from inside of a bubble.
It was dizzying, even for James.
When asked how his 17th season compares to his others, James didn't hesitate in his response.
"It’s the toughest championship run for me personally," James said.
The Lakers are about to play an uncharacteristically challenging eighth seed in the Portland Trail Blazers in their first-round playoff series, which begins Tuesday.
And they're doing it as the country reckons with racism and a virus that's killed nearly 170,000 people in the United States.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel praised James for how he's managed to shepherd the team through everything.
And there's been a lot.
It began with unexpected drama during their preseason trip to China after Rockets' general manager Daryl Morey tweeted in support of Hong Kong protesters. It extended through the tragic death of Bryant in January. And it's continuing through a nationwide social movement and a worldwide health crisis.
"To see all the adversity we had to face, it’s just been wildly impressive," Vogel said. "He’s the best leader I’ve ever been around, and just represents the right things, oozes class, and really is a -- we’re just lucky to have him on our squad and leading our team."
James said after finding out the Lakers were playing Portland, he "locked in" with his infamous laser-type focus to the challenge at hand despite everything else going on.
The Trail Blazers are far from a typical eighth seed, and there's no room for distractions.
"They have a two-headed monster in Dame [Lillard] and C.J. [McCollum]," James said. "And it starts and ends with those guys. They control the tempo. They control the pace. They do all of the ball handling. And they’re the rock of that franchise because they’ve been there...They’ve seen it all. They have playoff experience. They have chemistry between the two of them. And we have to have 10 eyes on them at a time. You got the two eyes that’s guarding the ball and the other eight throughout every possession. Because they’re that dangerous.
"So it starts with them and then they have a Hall of Famer in Carmelo Anthony who can erupt at any point of a game. So you have to always key in on him and have that respect factor because you know what he’s capable of doing. And I believe [Jusuf] Nurkic and Zach [Collins] coming back from injury has helped them out a lot as well. They move extremely well. Offensively, they’re one of the best scoring teams in the bubble. I’m sorry, not one of them. They are the best scoring team in the seeding games."
James, a three-time NBA champion who led Miami and Cleveland to The Finals eight-straight seasons, said he's approaching this first-round series against Portland differently.
"I’m not going in as a 1 seed versus an 8 seed, I’m going in with it’s the Lakers versus Portland," he said. "So, I’ve already thrown that out of the window so I won’t be going in with my guard down."
The Lakers got some welcome news ahead of the series.
Rajon Rondo cleared quarantine Monday and practiced with the team for the first time since sustaining a fractured right thumb five weeks ago on July 12.
Vogel said Rondo is medically cleared to play Tuesday ahead of his six-to-eight week timeline, though he added that it's "unlikely" he will put him in the game.
"There’s definitely a temptation to throw him in there tomorrow night, but we’re going to be intelligent," Vogel said.
The Lakers are gearing up for a big battle, one that they hope will take them through October and into their first championship in a decade.
And they don't have the advantage of having their fans behind them after clinching the Western Conference for the first time since 2010. They don't even have their families' support when they go home at night, at least not until after the first round.
Heck, nothing at all is familiar.
"Not home, not with my family, not in my own bed, I’m not in our own practice facility," James said. "I’m not preparing to be at Staples [Center] tomorrow with our fans. I’m not with a lot of things that’s essential to my everyday regimen. So that’s what’s different. As far as mentally, that’s always going to be sharp."
It's been a very tough season.
And the Lakers have a very bumpy road ahead of them.
And that's why Vogel decided it was the perfect time to give the team a boost by channeling Bryant and his Mamba Mentality.
"Obviously it touches us emotionally to go there, to talk about Kobe and what he stood for, and trying to embody what he stood for," Vogel said. "So I just think it’s important to carry his memory with us, especially on this journey into the time of the playoffs."
