LeBron James‘ workload is being closely monitored as a disappointing season in Los Angeles nears its conclusion.
James played 31 minutes and 47 seconds in the Lakers’ 111-98 loss Thursday night in Toronto, finishing with 29 points and six assists, and says the minutes restriction is a mental challenge.
Kawhi Leonard led the way for the Raptors with 25 points and eight rebounds.
Per The LA Times:
James said after the game he doesn’t know whether he will play Friday.
“It’s challenging for me mentally because I’m so accustomed to being out on the floor, especially when I’m healthy,” James said. “You know, but it’s a conversation between myself and my trainer and the coaching staff and the front office, and this is the direction that they wanted to go the remainder of the season given the lack of success we’ve had with our ballclub. So I trust the people in charge, and that’s what it is.”
Aside from James, no other Lakers starter scored more than Rajon Rondo’s 13 points. Kyle Kuzma and Reggie Bullock combined made only five of 18 shots.
“We had some turnovers, and we had some offensive rebounds that we gave up, at critical points of time of the game,” James said. “Sometimes two or three guys would be on the ball and they would come up with it. You can’t dictate if you can make shots from the perimeter or not … but some of the things that you can control is turnovers, we had 20, and some of the offensive rebounds we gave up.”
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