LeBron James is in his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers, and by extension, his first campaign in the Western Conference. This change has put him in a position he doesn’t normally find himself in at this point in the season: Desperately fighting for a playoff spot it’s not totally clear the Lakers can earn.
When speaking about that challenge to reporters after the team’s Wednesday practice, James seemed calm, downright unworried in the face of a difficult closing schedule.
His reasoning for his confidence? The extra gear he knows he can raise his game to, even if he’s not used to doing so just yet.