Page 20 - aruba-today-20180414

A20 SPORTS
Saturday 14 april 2018
Prime time: LeBron defying age, better than ever at 33

ment around the clock,"
said Perkins. "But it shows
and that's why he's able to
do what he's been doing at
this age. Everybody will be
like, 'Man, 'Bron got to be
doing something,' and I'm
like, 'No, he actually put in
the groundwork and every-
thing you see is because he
sacrificed.' It's amazing to
watch."
James isn't done, not even
close, and earlier this sea-
son he described re-writing
the narrative that play-
ers in their early 30s have
reached their prime.
"Hopefully I can break the
mold, so when the next
guy comes, he can still get
$200 or $300 million and be
33 years old," he said. "I'm
serious. This is the mold I'm
trying to break. It's not just
about me, it's for the next
crew. I want it all."
And what James wants, he
usually gets.
He has meticulously worked
at his craft, refining his
In this March 28, 2018, file photo, Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James goes up to dunk against the Charlotte Hornets during the first game, adding weapons.
half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C. This season, James posted
Associated Press a career-high in 3-pointers,
and according to Basket-
By TOM WITHERS player, most dominant (862), the player James has al triumph. ball-Reference.com , he
AP Sports Writer force. Still, the one to beat. spent his entire adulthood "It's the best I've felt all sea- made a higher percent-
CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron Still, the player most ca- being compared to and son and I've got the num- age of shots from beyond
James emerged from a pable of carrying a team the one he has equaled on bers to back it up and 28 feet than any player —
chaotic, complex season to playoff victories. Still, the many measures. I've got the wins to back including Stephen Curry —
unscathed — better than most likely player — sorry Jordan was not done at 33, it up as well," he said. "I've since 2001.
ever. Messrs. Westbrook, Hard- winning three more titles. just tried to be available As far as Brown's con-
Still the NBA's undisputed en, Curry and Durant — to But his game aged differ- to my teammates every cerned, James is the new
king. make a play that wins a ently. Jordan relied more single night and do every- standard.
Despite no longer having game or a series. on jumpers as he got older thing that I could to win "I don't see any decline ath-
Kyrie Irving at his side. De- "It doesn't seem like he gets and ceded tough defen- ball games. Either by scor- letically and then watch
spite an injury-riddled sea- old," said Philadelphia 76ers sive assignments to other ing, by rebounding, by de- it, the trend that he's now
son in which the Cavaliers' coach Brett Brown. "He just Bulls. fending, by assisting, tak- shooting and making 3s, so
roster morphed twice and doesn't go away." James continues to take ing charges, whatever the you feel that he just keeps
despite being surrounded While Cleveland's season over games physically, par- case may be. Statistically it getting better," Brown said
by a supporting cast that was highly irregular, James ticularly late, and he never all speaks for itself." before James scored 44
included rookies and just had another brilliant one. hesitates to defend the op- While amassing those num- with 11 rebounds and 11 as-
three holdovers from Cleve- He averaged 27.5 points ponents' toughest scorers. bers, James has seemingly sists against the Sixers. "The
land teams he dragged to — his highest total since And the Bulls never count- paused the aging process. fact that he can play that
three straight NBA Finals, 2010 — and established ed on their general to re- Of course, it helps that he many minutes, that many
James played every game career-highs in assists (9.1), bound or dish out assists as has a nutritionist, personal games, seemingly not miss-
and powered through his rebounds (8.6) and played the Cavs lean on James. trainer, masseuse, cryogen- ing a beat.
15th pro season like it was the full slate of games for James has done it all amid ic chamber and 21st cen- He is amazing.
another helpless defender the first time. a strange, soap-opera- tury technology to keep "In my opinion, he is the
in the lane. He led the league in to- like season for Cleveland, him one step ahead of Fa- best player to have ever
By investing millions into tal points, minutes played, which endured injuries, ill- ther Time. played our sport. And he
maintaining his body and surpassed 30,000 career nesses, trades and tribula- Cavaliers forward Kendrick just keeps getting better.
with a work ethic that has points, recorded 18 tri- tions from late last summer Perkins, who was drafted in And I say that with tremen-
pushed him since child- ple-doubles and was the until early spring. 2003 after James, is awed dous respect to lots of other
hood, James seems intent league's second-leading "As the Land Turns is what by his friend's commitment people. That's a hell of a
on challenging basketball's scorer in the fourth quarter I call it," said Cavs coach and dedication. Perkins comment that I don't throw
natural cycle of aging. (7.5 points). Tyronn Lue, who returned was stunned to learn James out recklessly. And I just feel
At 33, and on the eve of The three-time champion from an illness just last week. invests upward of $2 million like his body of work makes
making a run at his eighth also extended his record Following Wednesday's per year on his body. me feel very confident and
straight Finals, James is not of scoring at least 10 points regular-season finale, "It's crazy. I watch how he comfortable saying that.
slowing down. He remains to 873 games, a mark once James stamped this as-yet- takes care of his body, I He's playing arguably his
the game's best all-around owned by Michael Jordan unfinished season a person- watch how he gets treat- best basketball."q