LeBron James might be the greatest player of his generation, but Wednesday night’s performance against the Indiana Pacers was a brutal reminder that Father Time is undefeated.
The 41-year-old Philadelphia 76ers star finished with just 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 10 assists, shooting 5-of-12 from the field in Philadelphia’s 114-109 victory.
But his stat line wasn’t even the most embarrassing part of the night.
Early in the second quarter, Pacers forward Jalen Slawson chased down LeBron and blocked his layup from behind. Yes, the same LeBron James who built his legacy on legendary chase-down blocks was suddenly on the receiving end.
And somehow, it got worse.
Late in the fourth quarter, Indiana guard Andrew Nembhard hit LeBron with a nasty crossover, sending the four-time MVP stumbling as he tried to recover defensively. Nembhard missed the ensuing three-pointer, but the move immediately caught the attention of NBA fans.
Offensively, James wasn’t much better. He made just one of his four attempts inside the paint and finished with only 13 points in nearly 33 minutes.
Through his first four games with Philadelphia, LeBron is averaging just 15.5 points while shooting 42.6% from the field and 23.1% from three.
Sure, his 10 assists and zero turnovers helped Philadelphia secure the victory, but these aren’t the dominant performances fans have come to expect from one of basketball’s greatest players.
Getting chased down, crossed up, and struggling to score all in the same night? That’s not the LeBron James we’re used to watching.
The King might still have something left in the tank, but Wednesday night raised one uncomfortable question.
Are we watching LeBron James compete for one final championship, or are we watching the beginning of the end?
