Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, who is in his record-setting 23rd NBA season, had a late start to the year, and it might cost him a chance at breaking another record.
James has failed to be named to an All-NBA team only once in his career — his rookie season back in 2003-04 — and with 21 straight selections to date, he long ago cleared the previous all-time record for most consecutive selections, as well as total selections (15), the latter of which was co-held by Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Tim Duncan.
After missing the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica, though, James' record-long streak is in serious jeopardy. And if his longtime agent and close friend, Rich Paul, had it his way, the streak would end at 21.
“Look, at 41 years of age, I hope he is not playing back-to-backs,” Paul said, via ESPN's Dave McMenamin. “But at the same time, in order for him to make the All-NBA team and things like that … he can't miss that many more games.”
James, who had never before been unable to play a season opener, is back on the court and looking pretty good, especially considering he is nearing age 41. But because of the 65-game minimum players are required to meet to earn postseason awards, James can miss, at most, three of the Lakers' final 66 games.
Missing 17 or fewer games in a given season hasn't been much of an issue for James in general, as he has played at least 65 games in 17 of his previous 22 years in the NBA, including the past two since the NBA instituted an awards minimum. However, James and the Lakers had the luxury then, even while nursing injuries, to strategically sit the league's oldest player when it made the most sense.
Last season, for example, James played the first 23 games before sitting Dec. 8 vs. Portland, the Lakers' eighth game in 13 days, the first at home after being on the road for the better part of two weeks, and two days after he played 43 minutes in Atlanta. James also sat L.A.'s next game five days later, a road trip to Minnesota, before playing five games in 11 days.
James was well on his way to hitting 65 games until he was sidelined with a groin injury in March hat forced him to miss each of the following seven games. He managed to return, though, and play 12 straight before sitting out the season finale in Portland.
James and the Lakers host their crosstown rivals, the Clippers, tonight at 8 p.m. PT as part of the NBA Cup.
