JJ Redick has found the perfect balance for LeBron James and the Lakers

LeBron James has spent more than 20 years using his unmatched combination of size, strength, athleticism and skill to impose his will on every play he plays. It’s a truth the Los Angeles Lakers have benefited from, with a championship to show for his greatness and effort.

As first-year head coach JJ Redick moves into uncharted territory, however, he appears to have finally answered the latest and essential question of how to proceed for James through the regular season.

James has been nothing short of brilliant in 2024-25, stuffing the stat sheet and shooting the lights out. About a month shy of turning 40, few would argue against his inclusion on a premature All-NBA team.

One of the primary reasons he and the Lakers have had mutual success has been the inescapable fact that Redick has cracked the code—at least so far.

Through 13 games, the Lakers are 9-4, and James is flirting with an average triple-double. He set a new personal best for consecutive games of at least 10, 10 and 10and has already produced three different 30-point outings.

James’ quality of play cannot be praised enough, but far too little is said about how brilliant Redick’s approach to his utilization has been.

James is currently averaging 23.3 points, 9.2 assists, 8.6 rebounds and 2.4 three-point field goals made on .514/.431/.758 shooting. A large majority of players will never come close to hitting any of these marks, let alone posting them simultaneously.

One of the biggest advantages of the way the Lakers are currently using James can be found in the first number – James’ lowest scoring average since his rookie season in 2003-04.

The reason for that startling fact is simple: James is averaging a career-low 16.6 field goal attempts per game. match. For those who haven’t watched, it’s probably confusing that Redick wanted him to attempt fewer shots when he’s converting at a clip of 51.4 percent from the field and 43.1 percent from beyond the arc.

James has played as part of the system rather than the heart of it, which has allowed him to really take over when the team needs him the most – all without expending too much energy.

James continues to play a featured role as a facilitator across all four quarters, but his scoring has become situational. His efficiency, incredible yet consistent with his tendency to set up points at will for more than 20 years, has allowed this shift in priorities.

Redick and James have embraced the situational approach, allowing other Lakers to play with the ball in their hands and thus develop their own on-ball rhythms.

With James’ uncanny ability to take over when his team needs him, he has effectively filled the gaps all season. Anthony Davis is playing at an MVP-caliber level, scoring consistently across all four quarters and allowing James to pick up when his team needs a bucket.

More importantly, it has allowed the Lakers to win the type of games they would have lost in previous seasons.

Los Angeles is currently 3-1 when James scores fewer than 20 points. By comparison, he was 6-7 when he failed to reach the 20-point plateau in 2023-24 — meaning he’s already halfway to the win total, and we’re not even in December.

It’s early enough to believe James will get back to his steady average of at least 25 points per game. game, but considering the Lakers are on at least a 56-game winning streak, there’s no need to fix what ain’t broke.

This new approach should give James the maximum amount of energy for the postseason.