MY ACCOUNT
Four-time NBA MVP LeBron James has brushed off retirement talk after recording a triple-double to help end the Los Angeles Lakers’ five-game skid on Wednesday.
The Lakers overcame the Houston Rockets 132-123 with James finishing with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists with one steal and two blocks while Russell Westbrook added 24 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.
The Lakers have struggled without center Anthony Davis who succumbed to an MCL sprain in the first of their five straight defeats, when they went down 110-92 to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
James, who turns 37 on Thursday, had been unable to arrest the Lakers’ slide in Davis’ absence but would not be draw on retirement plans.
“I know I’m on the other side of the hill compared to the hill I was on before,” James said at the post-game news conference.
“I’ve thought about it, where I’m at and whether I’m still playing at such a high level. I’ve done 19 [seasons] and I’m not gonna do another 19.
“We’ll see where my body takes me and my mind takes me. As long as my mind is fresh and my body stays with that, I can play the game.
“I’ve put in enough hours and punched enough clocks to know when that time comes I’ll be OK with it.”
The Lakers had endured a frustrating stretch falling below .500, having not won since December 15 when they got past the Dallas Mavericks 107-104 in over-time until breaking that against the Rockets.
“This is the pros,” James told reporters after the win over the Rockets. “The hardest thing in this league is to win.
“At any level, any pro, NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, WNBA, the hardest thing to do is to win. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing against or who’s on the floor, everyone was drafted or signed to this level for a reason.
“Any time you can get a win in this league you don’t take it for granted.”
