Los Angeles Lakers: Expect LeBron James to enter attack mode

LeBron James is a tremendous attacker of the basket. As the Los Angeles Lakers season progresses, will he make an effort to do this even more?

Like every NBA player, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James wants to be at his best when the postseason comes around. Typically, he’s been just that. One has to look no farther than his last playoff run in 2017-18 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s arguably one of the more underrated postseason runs ever.

Despite ultimately falling short in the Finals to the Golden State Warriors, LeBron averaged 34.0 points, 9.1 rebounds and 9.0 assists on a 57.7 percent effective field goal percentage. How many other players have done in this in NBA history? Yep, just the King.

Despite the grind of the regular season, LeBron has consistently managed to find another gear in the playoffs. There are plenty of explanations for this: the way he takes care of his body, his ability to “rest” during games and some occasional load management. And of course, the stakes/intensity of the postseason can’t help but bring extra energy out of competitors like LeBron James.

The question, however, is whether this extra gear has simply caused LeBron to play better in the postseason, or if it’s also caused him to play differently.

Attacking the basket

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Whether it be by fans or critics, LeBron James is occasionally chided for not attacking the basket enough. Few players are more fearsome in this regard, so this feedback seems to make some sense. Among players averaging at least 10.0 shots per game in the restricted area, LeBron is third in efficiency at 68.9 percent (Giannis Antetokounmpo is first at 72.9 percent)

Whether he should be attempting more than his 8.4 attempts per game is unclear (Zion Williamson first at 13.1). What is clear, however, is that NBA players do not have unlimited stamina. It’s not a video game, and even exceptionally conditioned players like LeBron James are incapable of barreling towards the basket on EVERY possession.

But as the stakes get higher and he finds that extra gear, it’s possible that LeBron has made and will make more of an effort to attack the basket. In the last five games before the season’s suspension, there was a noticeable increase in both his drives and restricted area attempts (compared to the rest of season). This was especially apparent in the two biggest games against the Milwaukee Bucks and LA Clippers.

There isn’t too much evidence to suggest LeBron has been steadily scaling up his attack over the regular season, but again, the spike in March is notable. What has trended up is his efficiency in the restricted area (improved every single month).

What could explain this? Perhaps LeBron’s simply gotten more comfortable as the season has progressed. Or perhaps he’s made more of an effort to get in the post, where he can bully his way for some easy buckets (some evidence of this in Bucks game for example).

What should Los Angeles Lakers fans expect from LeBron moving forward this season? Will the patterns in March continue? Taking a look back at his career might hint at what’s to come.

Attacking more in the playoffs?

Has LeBron James historically attacked more once the playoffs have begun? Generally, yes. Both his drives and restricted area attempts have consistently risen, although to varying degrees. In his last postseason run with the 2017-18 Cleveland Cavaliers, however, his drives per game saw a huge increase.

Although LeBron is likely to attack more as this season progresses, a 2017-18 type uptick seems quite unlikely. It’s worth remembering that James had a weak (to put it mildly) supporting cast and essentially had to do everything (as discussed earlier, LeBron’s 2017-18 postseason run was incredible).

The level of attack mode showcased in March, however, could realistically be replicated moving forward. If LeBron can attack with a similar aggressiveness and efficiency, the Lakers should be in business.

It’s possible, however, that the March uptick in drives and restricted area attempts was simply a flash in the pan (sample size was quite small after all). It’s very likely that LeBron will attack more in the postseason, but perhaps the shift will be more moderate.

Even if this is the case, however, his performances in March and 2017-18 suggest LeBron can dial it up when necessary. Despite his age (35), he should still be physically capable of reaching this level.

LeBron’s played at an MVP level all season and seemed to be peaking before the season came to a halt. Additionally, as the above chart reflects, LeBron is averaging more drives per game than any of his last seven seasons, suggesting he’s got plenty of gas left in the tank. Lastly, considering the Lakers missed the playoffs last season, along with the suspension in play these last few months, LeBron should be well-rested.

Conclusion

LeBron was attacking more when the Lakers’ season came to a halt, and he’s historically become more aggressive once postseason play begins. He’ll almost surely follow a similar pattern this season.

It’s quite possible, however, that LeBron will ease his way into things as the restart begins. For a variety of reasons, he’s unlikely to be at peak “attack mode” in game one, or perhaps even in any of the eight “regular season” games. By the postseason, however, the rust should be shaken off, and LeBron should be ready to attack, attack and attack some more.