LeBron James: Reduced Minutes 'Ain't Me'

[RealGM Wiretap]

LeBron James is averaging 37.1 minutes per game through 21 games this season, a full minute more than he averaged in 14-15.

The idea was for James to drop that number even lower to perhaps 34 minutes per game.

"I'm not a 31, 32 minute guy. That's just not, that ain't me," James said after practice on Thursday. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers haven't been healthy all season with injuries to Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert.

"I'm playing at a high level," James said. I'm shooting the ball extremely well and I'm not hurting my team when I'm on the floor. If I'm hurting my team, then I should be sitting down. But I feel good.

"I'm always kind of like in the middle," he continued. I'm not a guy who likes to sit. If we take care of business and we go out and we're able to beat up on a team and I can sit in the fourth, then I can. If not, then I need to play. If I'm in the lineup then I need to be out on the floor. And I'm not saying I have to be out there 48 minutes or 40 minutes. But I'm going to make an impact."

Via Joe Vardon/Cleveland Plain Dealer

[anatomicbomb]

More of a play 80% of the games guy, than a play 80% of the minutes guy. Always tryin' to talk himself up

[GaaBaaBoo]

Should swap "Minutes" with "Talk".

[DJ3thenew23]

More of a play 80% of the games guy, than a play 80% of the minutes guy. Always tryin' to talk himself up

Steph Curry wants to play heavy minutes, fans go "He's a real competitor! He gets it"

LeBron wants to play heavy minutes, fans go "Can't stop talking himself up, of course"

[ib4]

"and I'm not hurting my team when I'm on the floor. If I'm hurting my team, then I should be sitting down"

indirect jab at Kobe?

[anatomicbomb]

More of a play 80% of the games guy, than a play 80% of the minutes guy. Always tryin' to talk himself up

Steph Curry wants to play heavy minutes, fans go "He's a real competitor! He gets it"

LeBron wants to play heavy minutes, fans go "Can't stop talking himself up, of course"

I'm not sure how this is a reply aimed at my comment. Firstly, I said nothing about Steph Curry, and don't see a reason to, given that this is a snippet about LBJ. Secondly, my point is that Lebron seems to be unaware that he's sat out about 20% of games the past 6 or 7 years when he suggests that playing a few fewer minutes per game than usual is an absurd idea - he seems to be unaware he's been taking a similar amount of additional rest for years, and the way he talks about it sounds to me like it's because of hubris. His frequent expression of immature and self-aggrandizing attitudes make it more difficult to be a fan of his than if he were affable.

[DJ3thenew23]

More of a play 80% of the games guy, than a play 80% of the minutes guy. Always tryin' to talk himself up

Steph Curry wants to play heavy minutes, fans go "He's a real competitor! He gets it"

LeBron wants to play heavy minutes, fans go "Can't stop talking himself up, of course"

I'm not sure how this is a reply aimed at my comment. Firstly, I said nothing about Steph Curry, and don't see a reason to, given that this is a snippet about LBJ. Secondly, my point is that Lebron seems to be unaware that he's sat out about 20% of games the past 6 or 7 years when he suggests that playing a few fewer minutes per game than usual is an absurd idea - he seems to be unaware he's been taking a similar amount of additional rest for years, and the way he talks about it sounds to me like it's because of hubris. His frequent expression of immature and self-aggrandizing attitudes make it more difficult to be a fan of his than if he were affable.

It was aimed at your comment because you had the statement of LeBron "talking himself up", which a lot of people make regarding him. Compared to people talking about Curry and nothing is ever said bad about him. It was just a comparison of how people love hating on LeBron but seem to never hate on other stars.