Tyronn Lue downplays LeBron's heavy workload, calls him 'Benjamin Button'
LeBron played just under 44 minutes per game in the first round against the Pacers
With the Cleveland Cavaliers hit by multiple key injuries this season and struggling at times with their play, LeBron James took on a heavier workload.
During the regular season, LeBron averaged 37.8 minutes, his most since back in the 2012-13 season with the Miami Heat, when he was only 28 years old. In addition, LeBron clocked just under 44 minutes per game during the Cavaliers' first-round sweep of the Pacers.
As LeBron tries to get to the Finals for the seventh straight season, the extra minutes have some concerned that the King will run out of gas as the playoffs roll on. Do not count Cavs coach Ty Lue among them, however, as he downplayed the issue Wednesday during a media session, even calling LeBron, "Benjamin Button." Via NBC Sports:
"Benjamin Button," Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue called him, referring to the fictional character who ages backward.
"I don't understand why people make a big deal out of his minutes," Lue said Wednesday. "He had a week off before the series started. We won four straight games and then he had a week off again. So next he might play 48 minutes. … Bron today just said he feels worse when he doesn't play."
It's certainly fair to raise the issue of LeBron's workload, as 44 minutes per game during the playoffs is a lot for anyone, let alone a 32-year-old who has played as much basketball as LeBron has over the past five-plus years. But, at the same time, he averaged 32.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 9 assists while shooting 54 percent from the field in the first round. So it seems as though he's handling it pretty well.
















