The Los Angeles Lakers took on the Golden State Warriors on Friday. LeBron James, who is ramping up for the regular season, made his second appearance during the preseason hoops. However, he only played for the first half before returning to the bench. With James entering his 21st season, the Lakers are being very careful with his playing minutes during the preseason to keep him fresh for when it matters the most.

After playing his minutes, LeBron James was seen on the bench munching as his team battled out against Stephen Curry‘s Warriors. This polarizing action did not sit well with former Lakers star and 5x NBA Champion, who blasted James for not adhering to the sport’s unwritten rules.

Lakers legend berates LeBron James for not showing due respect

King James joined the Lakers during their second face-off with the Dubs. He tallied 12 points, five assists, and two rebounds in the Lakers, 129-125 loss against the Warriors. He only logged in for 18 minutes before returning to the bench to show support to his teammates. As he knew he would not return to the game, the Akron Hammer showered and changed into street clothes before returning as a spectator. He was then seen enjoying a fruit bowl at the far end of the bench.

While it’s a fairly standard preseason fare due to the relaxed nature of such games, everyone did not receive well it.

Michael Cooper, who played 12 seasons with the Lakers, thought James’ actions lacked integrity towards the game. On his latest episode of the Showtime with Coop podcast, the Lakers legend said, “I didn?t like that. Again, he?s LeBron James, but still, you?ve got to have respect for the game, man”. Cooper continued, “He?s over there. I don?t mind the guy eating, but go eat in the locker room, and then when you come out, you come out and be part of the team, not just sit on the end of the bench eating.”

While it is unusual to see players having their dinner on the bench, it was probably a part of James’ post-game routine. It is understandable that he would need to refuel himself after playing at his tender age. And since his game ended before his teammates, he chose to bring his dinner on the bench with him. His morality shouldn’t be called into question just because he decided to eat while supporting his teammates from the stands.

Lakers’ strategy moving forward

The Lakers re-signed most of their core from the last season. But they did bring in new faces to bolster their depth. James will turn 39 this December, and he has been more injury-prone than ever. After tearing a tendon in his right foot last season, James missed 13 straight games. Therefore, the Lakers are planning to manage James’ minutes and offensive workload more than in years past. It is now time for Anthony Davis to take the reins. Although Davis had some incredible scoring outbursts last season, he was inconsistent with it.

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The Lakers are almost at the end of the preseason, with only one game left against the Phoenix Suns this Thursday. After closing out the preseason, the Lakers will meet the reigning champions Denver Nuggets to kick off their regular season on October 24.

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