Shannon Sharpe and Stephen A. Smith went off against each other, on ESPN’s First Take Show on the third of December after the Los Angeles Lakers’ latest defeat against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Sharpe sparked an argument saying LeBron James should have taken a break during the course of his career like Micheal Jordan did. To this, Smith interrupted with a point, claiming that the intensity of the game has changed compared to the 80s and 90s which MJ played implying that James has it easy.
You should be ashamed of yourself! That is nonsense!
Stephen A. Smith replied
Sharpe referred to Michael Jordan’s two separate retirements from the NBA, which were motivated by mental and physical fatigue. Jordan first stepped away from the Chicago Bulls from 1993 to 1995, and then again from 1999 to 2001.
Shannon Sharpe: “I wish LeBron James could have taken 4 years off during his career. 5 years.”
Stephen A. Smith: “You should be ashamed of yourself! That is nonsense!”
Jeff Saturday: “Scandalous!”
SAS was LIVID at Sharpe’s LeBron comment 😤pic.twitter.com/nyzkgaOT73
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 3, 2024
LeBron James in the midst of a historic 22nd season in the NBA, a testament to his enduring greatness. Since being drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, James has had a legendary career, shattering records and claiming four NBA championships along the way. This season he is currently averaging just 22 PPG, his lowest since his debut season in the NBA.
James’ current season has been marked by a noticeable decline in performance, sparking concerns about his ability to sustain his incredible level of play. As the NBA world watches, the question on everyone’s mind is: can James continue to defy Father Time and extend his remarkable run, or is this the beginning of the end for the legendary athlete?
LeBron James breaks his silence on what’s frustrating him about the Lakers struggles
The Los Angeles Lakers has just suffered their worst offensive performance so far this season, after being thrashed 109-80 by the Timberwolves on Monday night. The Lakers only managed 80 points from the night while committing 20 turnovers, and LeBron finished the night with only 10 points, scoring 4 of 16 from the field.
It’s everything, it’s the rhythm. I just feel off rhythm the last few, three or four games.
LeBron James said postgame
LeBron James: “We’re just not good offensively right now. I think we spent so much time on trying to get our defense corrected that our offense just took a toll and took a back seat to that.”
Get closer to the action on Spectrum SportsNet+ with the NBA app, on us! 🔗:… pic.twitter.com/NI7hzcAtgI
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) December 3, 2024
James wasn’t the only one who had a terrible night, with Anthony Davis picking up only 12 points, scoring only 4 of 14, while rookie Dalton Knecht had only six points. The lakers’ offense, which so far had been their strength since the season began, suddenly went cold.
In an effort to explain the Lakers’ offensive woes, LeBron James suggested the team’s intense focus on improving their defense has come at the expense of their offense, causing it to stagnate. As the Lakers look to get back on track, they’ll need to find a balance between their defense and offense.
