After the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics recently, analyst Colin Cowherd shared his thoughts on the team in a recent episode of “The Colin Cowherd Podcast.”
While Cowherd praised Lakers superstar LeBron James, he was critical of Luka Doncic, another star on the team.
“Even if LeBron had a bad night, he played hard. Now, it’s different,” Cowherd stated. “For 15 years, Kobe and MJ had off shooting nights, but they never had off effort or focus nights. LeBron, at 39 and a half, is slowing down… honestly, Brady could have still played last year. In the NBA, working out can extend your career. LeBron is still a weight room warrior.
When you watch Luka regularly… if they’re down by 11 and he gets a bad call, he’s arguing with the referee while the Celtics are moving down the floor. He’s become more of an academic player than an athletic one, and he’s only 27. LeBron slowed down at 39 and a half.”
Analyzing Stats: Luka Doncic vs. LeBron James
To be fair, it’s important to compare Doncic and James’ stats. Cowherd claimed Doncic is already slowing down, but his numbers are similar to James’ from the 2011-12 season when James was 27.
At that time, James averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists with a shooting percentage of 53.1. At 26, Doncic is averaging 32.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.6 assists while shooting 46.8 percent. Doncic might even have a slight edge, so saying he is slowing down seems off.
Cowherd also pointed out that Doncic often argues with refs while the opposing team is advancing the ball. However, this is a common behavior among players, including James, who tends to lobby for calls instead of returning to defense. Both players are known for exaggerating contact to draw fouls.
Both can be seen as dramatic at times on the court, but they are attempting to assist their teams. If Cowherd calls Doncic unprofessional, he should also consider similar criticisms of James.
Does Colin Cowherd Overlook LeBron’s Shortcomings?
Cowherd’s consistent support for James does raise questions. He has defended James on multiple occasions, even attributing James’ losing record in the NBA Finals to weaker teammates in his early career. When discussing the greatest of all time in the NBA, Cowherd has often argued that James’ passing and versatility surpass that of Michael Jordan, positioning him firmly in the Camp LeBron.
While Cowherd’s critiques of Doncic have merit, it appears he may view James through a biased lens, as James exhibits some of the same behaviors Cowherd criticizes Doncic for. This suggests that Cowherd’s analysis might be swayed by the names on the jerseys.