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The Los Angeles Lakers are starting to go on a run at the perfect time of the season. They are beginning to look like legitimate contenders—just as LeBron James has wanted since the summer.
“LeBron wants to compete for a championship,” Rich Paul told ESPN. “He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we've had for eight years with Jeanie [Buss] and Rob [Pelinka] and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”
The biggest thing for James has been learning his role. He has struggled at times, and so has the team as a whole. Now, they are all starting to click. For James, it doesn’t matter how he contributes as long as the Lakers are winning.
“If it benefits others, it benefits the team. The team is most important. … So yeah, it is a sacrifice. I know what I'm capable of still doing as an individual, but what's important for this team, I'm able to adapt to … And that's the only thing that matters,” James told the media.
The Lakers defeated the Miami Heat on the second night of a back-to-back, giving them eight straight wins. After the game, James made it clear they plan to continue proving the doubters wrong.
“I was out a couple weeks ago and I was able to come back and see how I fit best with those guys because they were playing so dynamic off one another. But I mean, it sells papers a lot easier and clippings and podcasts if you say their team is better off without LeBron. That's how a lot of people try to view it, so I get it. They're absolutely wrong,” James said.
It is safe to say that James has heard everything being said, and he is responding with a level of play that stands out during this period of change. He is showing he can win in any role.
Not only is James starting to figure out his role, but so is the rest of the team. That is a major development for the Lakers—and James made sure people know he has figured it out.
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