The time has come for LeBron James to reclaim LA’s torch

LeBron James has ceded the spotlight to Anthony Davis so far in these playoffs. To put a stranglehold on the Nuggets, he has to take it back in Game 4.

The Los Angeles Lakers’ 2020 playoff run has belonged to Anthony Davis. The player who moved so much to get to this point has made the most of it, pacing LA in points, field goal attempts and minutes. He cemented his place in the annals of Laker lore with his shot to win Game 2.

Ask LeBron James if he cares to cede the spotlight he typically dominates and he’ll tell you he doesn’t. It’s not just because he isn’t lagging too far behind in the stats column, shooting 55.4 percent so far in these playoffs while averaging 25.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 8.8 assists per game.

Since Davis arrived last July, James has made it his outward mission to ensure his new co-star was as comfortable as could be.

He tried to give up his No. 23 to a player who had known no other number during his NBA tenure. The 2019-20 regular season was LeBron’s first in not leading his team in scoring. In the final game before the shutdown, James was more than willing to let the fate of a two-point game against the Brooklyn Nets hang in the balance of a Davis 3-pointer. AD missed that chance at the win, but the mere attempt meant so much more than its impact on the standings.

Even after all these years, James is still going strong. He was a unanimous First Team selection and finished second in MVP voting. But at 35 years of age, he has to be more selective with the bursts of greatness he chooses to exude so as not to lose sight on the ultimate prize.

Davis’ talent made him a worthy running mate, though there was still much to grow accustomed to in the most pressure-filled season of his career. Championship expectation. Championship expectations in Los Angeles for the Lakers.

Seven seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans was hardly a worthy teacher. The challenge fell to LeBron to ensure Davis would be ready come playoff time regardless.

The test has certainly been aided by Davis’ advantages over every opposing frontcourt, making it significantly easier to find the confidence a weak playoff resume fails to provide. He is a mismatch no matter the matchup, blending an inside touch with handles that help him unleash an unguardable jumper. Jusuf Nurkic, P.J. Tucker and now Nikola Jokic can speak to it all.

That was enough for the Lakers to easily get by the Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets in five games, but later rounds demand more from stars to push a team over the top. Yet even in the thick of the playoffs, LeBron still appears to be holding back.

He posted the quietest 30/11/10 performance in Game 3 you’ll ever see. He hasn’t exceeded 40 minutes since the opening game of the postseason.

We expect more because we know James can still bring more. That he hasn’t yet is about how often certain levels of age and attrition limit the times he can live up to Playoff LeBron, not the inability to reach it when he wants.

The Denver Nuggets can tie up the Western Conference Finals at two games apiece in Game 4 tonight. LA would be wise not to dally with a team that can build up steam in a hurry. Even in a loss, we know no series deficit is truly too much for Denver to overcome.

James is walking the thinnest of ropes, trying to bring enough to keep the Lakers on track to the title while conserving as much as he can for when he’s called upon to bring it home.

It’s a plan that’s managed to get the Lakers this far, two games away from their first Finals appearance since 2010. With a potentially series-shifting game looming, the time for balance may have run out, forcing LeBron back into the zone that legitimizes LA’s title hopes more than anything Davis can display.