Now that the dust has settled, LeBron James appears to be accepting his team’s elimination by the Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs.
Luka Doncic and LeBron James were expected to form a formidable duo, but that did not materialize this playoffs. Luka struggled with a virus and was not himself, while LeBron suffered a knee injury in Game 5, requiring four to six weeks for recovery.
James was sure to give Minnesota its flowers on the latest episode of Mind the Game.
“It’s the matchups, and we ran into a damn good matchup,” James said. “A team that’s been battle-tested. A team that’s hungry. A team that [has] a lot of youth, but also experience at the same time.
“Another team that’s trying to make the next step,” he added. “And they were a worthy opponent for sure.”
There was clearly no bad blood after the matchup, as LeBron was seen dapping up Anthony Edwards on the court and encouraging him to advance to the next stage.
People may still be scratching their heads over JJ Redick’s decision to play just five men throughout the second half of Game 4.
However, James is supporting his first-year coach’s decision.
“None of us questioned JJ and the coaching staff about what happened,” James said. “Obviously, Gabe [Vincent] and Vando (Jarred Vanderbilt), guys who have given us so many great minutes, definitely felt a way because they are competitors. We all feel like we can get in and make a moment happen. JJ told us it wasn’t a decision that was based on guys not being able to do the job; it was a decision based on the feeling of the game and the momentum. None of us looked at him or the coaching staff in any way for the decision that he made. [Expletive], it was our fault that we didn’t come through.”
