LeBron James Thinks He's Something Special For Barely Pushing Through Minutes Restriction Against Phoenix

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: LeBron James took over in the fourth quarter to get his team a win.

With his squad looking to avoid an 0-2 start, the Los Angeles Lakers forward scored 10 points in the fourth quarter en route to a 100-95 win over the Phoenix Suns. LeBron scored consecutive layups to give his team a four-point lead - 95-91 - with 41 seconds remaining, and they never trailed again.

However, the win almost didn’t happen because of a predetermined minutes restriction placed on the all-time great. Lakers coach Darvin Ham had agreed that LeBron would only play 30 minutes of the game, but saw he needed a boost from the self-proclaimed “King” of the NBA.

LeBron James (with ball) almost didn't play long enough to help the Lakers beat the Suns. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

With Phoenix leading 84-72 heading into the fourth, Ham approached James and asked if he could push past the restriction. 

"He asked me if I could go the quarter, and I looked at the time and the score and what was going on in the game, and it was an easy answer for myself," James said after playing 35 minutes of the game. "I know how much work I've put in to be able to play quarters or whatever the case may be. And I understand that we definitely have a system put in place, but tonight called for me to go outside the box."

LeBron James Played Past His Minutes Restriction...Like He Should Have

Gee, how selfless of the guy. He was able to forsake five minutes of extra rest to ensure his team got a win. Everyone, behold greatness in its finest form!

But the real question is, why did LeBron need to be asked? If you’re the unquestioned best player on the team, you need to proactively take ownership of moments like this. That means getting on the court and being the unstoppable force he’s been for most of his career. You don’t sit on the bench twiddling your thumbs, leaving your teammates to do the dirty work, and letting others make decisions on your playing time.

I can just hear him thinking, "Well, I guess if I have to play to get the win, I will. But I sure wouldn't mind being able to relax."

LeBron (reaching for the ball) finished with 21 points, 10 of which came in the fourth quarter. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

LeBron should have confronted his coaching staff and said, “Forget the minutes restriction. I’m playing because we need a win, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” Competitors compete and get wins, even if it means you have to bravely push past your minutes limit (note the sarcasm). 

It was the second game of the season, so it’s not like he’s feeling the physical toll of an 82-game season. He also hasn’t been battling injuries all year, so he didn’t gut out a crucial win through a lot of pain. Nonetheless, in the post game conference, LeBron made it seem like he did something spectacular by playing an extra 300 seconds. 

It’s no wonder why many view him as one of the most selfish players in the NBA.