LeBron James had very little time to relish his fourth championship in the days and weeks following the Los Angeles Lakers' triumph over the Miami Heat last fall.

The players were always up against a short offseason. But for James and the Lakers — who played into mid-October — there was hardly much leeway to rest on their laurels.

LeBron made his feelings known regarding the shortest offseason in league history. The reaction was certainly understandable, especially considering the mileage on James' body and the fact he was entering his age-36 season.

Los Angeles was still regarded as a top contender to repeat heading into the 2020-21 season, but it was assumed Anthony Davis would really start to take the reins from James as the most impactful player.

Yet again, James has reminded basketball fans not to sleep on his supreme conditioning and unparalleled desire to improve.

The minutes

Lakers head coach Frank Vogel has fallen victim to the problem of wanting to preserve LeBron James while also needing him on the floor in crucial moments.

LeBron played over 46 minutes in a double-overtime win over the Detroit Pistons this past weekend. He then played over 41 minutes in both legs of the L.A.'s two-game series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, with the Lakers needing overtime in both contests.

In all, James is actually averaging more minutes per game this season than during the 2019-20 campaign (34.7 to 34.6). It does not seem he will be settling down anytime soon, either.

This is another example of the unbelievable shape James keeps himself in throughout the offseason and midseason, as well. He even said “I don't get tired” earlier this month.

Apparently not.

The shooting

If it feels like LeBron James is still improving as a basketball player, that's because he is.

James is shooting 39.4 percent from beyond the arc on a career-high 6.9 attempts per game. That percentage holds up despite LeBron shooting just 5-for-19 from deep in the last two games.

The four-time MVP is shooting 38.6 percent from beyond the arc on above-the-break triples. He is also making 50 percent of his step-back treys and has some success running into his jumper. Plus, get this: James has been better shooting the 3 off the dribble than in catch-and-shoot situations.

Last season, James made a point of doing his work in the post. This time around, he is giving the Lakers much-needed perimeter shooting and firing off the bounce, which only makes him more dangerous when the lane starts to open up.

What's next?

LeBron James ranks second in value over replacement player (VORP) and fourth in Win Shares. He is making a case to win his fifth MVP Award.

What happens when the Lakers really get rolling?

We have yet to see the best Anthony Davis on the offensive end, and L.A. could be more dangerous if Dennis Schroder's efficiency improves.

That is a scary prospect for Western Conference opponents, particularly because James is even better when he is making plays for teammates.