At 40 years old, LeBron James has one mission: leading the Los Angeles Lakers through the NBA playoffs and chasing another championship. In a recent chat with Steve Nash, the four-time champion discussed how he guides his team mentally and emotionally through difficult playoff stretches.
“Until you’ve won four games, nothing is guaranteed,” LeBron said. “I know no NBA team has come back from a 3-0 hole, but I’ve seen it happen in baseball. It’s bound to happen in basketball too. That’s why I never take a series for granted. Even after a big Game 1 win on the road, Game 2 becomes the hardest. That other team is angry, focused, and looking for payback.”
With 22 seasons in the league, LeBron has faced just about every playoff scenario. He understands that remaining mentally balanced is crucial. He emphasized that emotional control and ignoring outside noise are essential to staying sharp throughout the postseason.
“You have to stay level-headed,” he said. “You need to block out your friends and family trying to hype you up. Stay off social media. Everyone’s going to treat you like you’ve already won it all. You have to separate yourself from that and stay locked in.”
After setbacks in 2011 and 2015, LeBron used those losses to grow as a leader. Now, back in the playoffs with the Lakers, he’s focused on keeping his team disciplined and grounded in what matters most during their title run.
“The regular season is where we build habits for the postseason,” James explained. “By the time the playoffs start, we want those habits to be second nature. We’ll tweak and tighten things in the postseason, but the foundation has to be set already.”
Throughout the year, LeBron has collaborated closely with head coach JJ Redick to instill a winning mindset. With disciplined, team-first basketball, the Lakers found their rhythm and developed strong chemistry on both ends of the floor.
As the Lakers head into Game 2 against the Timberwolves tonight, the stakes are rising. Minnesota dominated inside during Game 1, but LeBron will surely make the right moves to keep the Lakers competitive. He knows how to prepare his team to bounce back.
