To beat the Houston Rockets and improbably advance to the second round, the Los Angeles Lakers will be looking toward LeBron James to do some serious heavy lifting. That will be an exhausting task for the oldest player in the NBA. Luckily for him, a competitive advantage has already arrived.
James has openly advertised his willingness to bring whatever the Lakers need. It’s an admirable commitment that will get just a little bit easier with the extra rest in between the early games of their first-round series.
The Schedule: A Gift from the NBA
The full schedule for the Lakers versus Rockets series has been released. Everyone already knew that Game 1 was set for Saturday at 5:30 p.m. PT. The contests are comfortably spaced out from there.
The Lakers will get a two-day break before playing Game 2 on April 21. They get another opportunity for ample rest with Game 3 being scheduled for April 24. They will even get one more extended break between matchups going from Game 4 on April 26 to a Game 5 (if necessary) on April 29.
Somewhere in Los Angeles, there is a 41-year-old first option who should be letting out a sinister smile at the idea of getting extra rest after all the mileage that has been put on his body throughout the years.
The Silver Effect: A Favorable Schedule for an Aging Superstar
Regardless of what the schedule looked like, James was always going to put his best foot forward and try to extend this season in absence of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Adam Silver was kind enough to look at his aging G.O.A.T. and tell him, “Let’s see what you’ve got old man.”
That is not an official quote, but that sure is what the situation looks like.
Even without Doncic and Reaves, there is still a great story to tell in this series regarding the head-to-head matchup between two of the biggest stars of their generation in James and Kevin Durant. Mr. Silver and the schedule-makers are opening the door for as many installments of that as NBA fans can get.
Redick’s Take: “Any Extra Time Off Is Good”
“He’s 41. So, yeah, any extra time off is good,” JJ Redick told reporters of James and the possible benefits of the playoff schedule.
Redick’s comment is an understatement. For a player who has logged more regular season and playoff minutes than almost anyone in NBA history, every extra day of rest is a precious commodity.
The two-day breaks between Games 1 and 2, and again between Games 2 and 3, will allow James to recover, to get treatment, to prepare. At 41, that recovery time is not a luxury – it is a necessity.
What to Expect: The Best Version of Playoff LeBron
Perhaps the added rest will not quite equate to seeing 2018 LeBron emerge. However, it should guarantee the best version of what playoff hoops can look like at this stage of James’ career.
He will not be dropping 51-point triple-doubles every night. But he will be fresh. He will be aggressive. He will be the leader the Lakers need.
Without Doncic and Reaves, the offensive burden falls squarely on James. The schedule is giving him the best possible chance to carry that load.
The Durant Factor: A Rivalry Renewed
The series also features the latest chapter in the James-Durant rivalry. Two of the greatest scorers in NBA history, going head-to-head in the playoffs, with their teams’ seasons on the line.
The schedule-makers have done their part. They have spaced out the games, allowing for maximum rest, maximum drama, and maximum viewership.
Now it is up to James and Durant to deliver.
The Verdict: A Fighting Chance
The Lakers are massive underdogs. The Rockets are deeper, healthier, and more talented on paper. But the playoffs are about more than paper.
They are about heart. They are about execution. And they are about superstars rising to the occasion.
The schedule has given LeBron James a fighting chance. The rest will help. The breaks will matter.
Now, he has to go out and prove that at 41, he can still carry a team when it matters most.
Game 1 is Saturday. The clock is ticking. And LeBron James is ready.