Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has won at every level of basketball, though he remains motivated to add another NBA title to his resume.
James and the Lakers looked primed to make a deep postseason run during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, but they were eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves in convincing fashion. Despite the Lakers’ collective star power, it wasn’t enough to get past a Timberwolves team built with ideal size, length and physicality across each position.
It was a hard-fought series for James, who was asked to play small-ball center against Minnesota and he performed as if he was square in his prime again. However, LeBron looked worn down by the end of the series and even suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain that would have forced him to miss time if the Lakers had advanced.
James understands what it takes to win games in the playoffs and he emphasized how important the mid-range area of the floor is while using the Oklahoma City Thunder as an example in the most recent episode of his his “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash:
“If it’s OKC and Shai’s getting blitzed in the pick-and-roll, and you’re hitting Jalen Williams in the pocket or you hit Alex Caruso in the pocket, you’re at their mercy. If you’re playing Boston and you’re doubling Jayson Tatum and you hit Jrue Holiday in the pocket, he’s a point guard that’s making 4-on-3 reads, things he’s been doing his whole career. So it’s like, it’s very key and the mid-range is, I think, is very, very key to the success of great teams.”
Most discussions around the mid-range area of the floor center on jump shots, but James is describing how the mid-range is where the best ball-handlers and playmakers do their damage. As James explained, players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum have grown adept at taking double teams and passing out to the correct player to keep an offensive possession humming.
James is a master of every area on the basketball court, so he knows full well what he can do once he’s got an advantage on the floor. LeBron’s size and strength make him a difficult person to defend, but even more so if he has an open passing lane.
Next year could very well be James’ final season in the league, so it’ll be interesting to see if the front office can surround him with a championship-caliber roster.
LeBron James explains decision to always make right play in crunch time
LeBron James will go down as arguably the greatest player of all time, and that’s in large part due to his willingness to always make the right play. Some have criticized James for avoiding potential game-winning shots to pass, but the Lakers star explained why he continues to do so.
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