The Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns have the two best records in the NBA this season. But LeBron James does not appear to be giving them the props that they deserve.
After James’ Los Angeles Lakers lost their fifth straight game this weekend, the four-time MVP spoke on the injury and protocol absences that his team has faced this season.
“Nobody’s going to feel sorry for you,” he said. “No one’s going to feel sorry for our record or nobody’s going to feel sorry for guys that are out because everybody, besides I think Golden State and Phoenix, has guys out.”
James could have just left it at the fact that every team has players that are out right now. But he specifically singled out Golden State and Phoenix, who happen to be the two top teams in the league this year. The implication from James seems to be that those two teams have been more lucky than good.
On top of being disrespectful, James is also flat-out incorrect here. For the Warriors, Klay Thompson and James Wiseman have not played all season. Andrew Wiggins, Damion Lee, Moses Moody, and Jordan Poole are also all currently in protocols right now (as well as Draymond Green, who entered protocols after James’ comments). The Suns have had fewer absences, but they were still without leading scorer Devin Booker for several weeks with a hamstring injury. Dario Saric and Frank Kaminsky are also in the midst of indefinite absences.
There were probably some personal undertones to James’ remarks though. Here are the last four teams to eliminate James from the playoffs (obviously not counting 2016 and 2020, where he won it all, and 2019, where he failed to make the postseason): the Warriors, the Warriors, the Warriors, and the Suns. He also made other comments this month downplaying their success.
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