Since he’s played in the NBA for 20 seasons, LeBron has one of the best basketball IQ’s ever and his former teammate Alex Caruso has revealed how one of the GOAT’s exploits timeouts.
LeBron has figured out a way to get a bit of extra rest in during a game, The Ringer’s Ryen Russillo shares on his podcast – with Caruso as his guest.
“I had a coach recently explain to me,” Russillo said. “He said how LeBron was understanding the TV timeout length so that he would sub himself out. He would know, ‘I’m not missing a ton of game time, but in real time, it’s like I’m getting two extra breaks.’”
Caruso’s response confirmed that Russillo was right in saying that LeBron exploits the rule, and that King James has it all figured out.
“We used to do that,” the former Lakers guard said. “He would sub out first; AD would play the whole first quarter. He would sub out the last, what was it, 30 seconds before the two-minute timeout. So then he’s getting the two minutes and 15 seconds of game time. That’s what he was missing. But totality, he’s getting like eight minutes, ten minutes of real rest.”
The literal definition of work smarter, not harder.
Caruso has a lot of love for LeBron and credits him with helping him become one of the “better defenders” in the league.
The Chicago guard certainly is’t wrong, as he was named to the 2022-23 NBA All-Defensive First Team. becoming the first Bulls player since Jimmy Butler in 2015-16 to earn All-Defensive Team honors.
The ‘Bald Mamba’ also won his maiden ring with LeBron in 2020 in purple and gold.
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