James is old and still a lie

40-year-old James ended the 24-25 NBA regular season with averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1 steal, leading the Lakers to the playoffs with a record of 50 wins, 32 losses, and third in the Western Conference. Although this is the second time he averages below 25 points in his 22-year career, nearly half of the All-Stars are still unable to reach this level. What's even more exaggerated is that when Doncic or Davis is absent, James led the team to average 34+8+8 per game, with a real shooting rate of up to 70.1%. The team's record of 7 wins and 1 loss is directly slapped in the face of doubts about "skipping". In the first round of the playoffs against the Timberwolves, James averaged 25.4 points, 9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2 steals and 1.8 blocks per game. In the crucial third game, he fought in 41 minutes to score 38 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks, using his iconic tank to break through Edwards' defense. He still won the game even though he lost. Although the Lakers finally stopped in the first round 1-4, when the camera swept through the Minnesota Target Center Arena, the audience stood up and applauded the 40-year-old veteran, better than any statistical refutation.

The public opinion field is full of ice and fire. Mesozoic superstars such as Jokic and Antetokounmpo are recognized, while veteran stars such as Durant and Curry appreciate each other, but the online platform is full of ridicule of "can't jump" and "it's time to retire".

Injuries have become the biggest variable. James missed 12 games due to injury this season, and his scores were sluggish in the few games since his comeback, setting one of the worst records in his career. But in the final stage of April, James used his 25+ performance to prove that as long as he is healthy, he is still one of the most dominant front lines in the league.

Once the offseason arrives, James is likely to announce his contract break, and the Lakers management plans to continue to form a championship lineup around him and Doncic. In view of the shortcomings exposed in the playoffs this season, the Lakers will inevitably strengthen the inside. The potential trading list includes Jazz center Kessler, Raptors defensive champion Pelter, and Hawks' inside Capeca. There is not much time left for James to win the championship, so the Lakers have to cherish it and improve the lineup configuration based on the current situation.

In my opinion, "James is old" has become a long-lasting hot topic in recent years, and it is still the cognitive bias of mass fans about "aging". We are accustomed to measuring age with crow's feet and white hair, but we ignore the continuous transformation of this Akron teenager - spending millions of dollars to take care of the body every year.

From the league ecology, modern basketball has indeed given veterans a good way to extend their lives. In the small ball era, the inside hand-to-hand combat is reduced, and the three-point tactics open up space, which is perfectly adapted to James's style of play after his transformation. He now averages three-pointers and hits one of his career highs, with a shooting percentage of 37.6% becoming one of the highest in these seasons, second only to 41% in the 23-24 season. I have to say that James has evolved again. At the age of 40, he is more efficient in playing style, not only relying on his historically level body.

However, of course, we cannot ignore the blessing of "money ability". James's private training team includes a doctorate in sports biomechanics, a neuroreflex trainer, and even a data analyst who specializes in the referee's tendency to judge. Others practice shooting to find the feel, while others practice shooting to adjust the parameters - according to the knee angle sensor data, fine-tuning the shooting arc from 43 degrees to 45 degrees is to improve the hit rate.

The most important thing is the evolution of mentality. When he was young, James flew to the sky and escaped. Now he has learned to plan the regular season. This is called strategic accumulation; taking over at critical moments is called kingly instinct.

But then again, James is not a robot after all. He failed to dunk many times this season, and his defensive efficiency fell to the middle of the league. These traces can't deceive technical statistics. But so what? 40-year-old James can still use more than 20 years of experience to predict opponents' tactics and connect the entire team with a view of the overall situation. The characteristics of "the older you get, the more demon you become" are indeed valuable.

As fans, don't worry about whether he is old or not, cherish him as much as possible; what we are witnessing may be the last "lifeless legend" in the history of professional basketball sports.