LeBron James on Lakers playoff push: ‘I enjoy being counted out’

LeBron James indicated to reporters on Wednesday that he was ready to unleash the ‘Playoff Bron’ version of himself in order to help will the Los Angeles Lakers to the playoffs, where the franchise hasn’t been since 2013.

And it’s no small thing that James discussed the difficult task he and the Lakers have in front of them. Entering Thursday’s game against Houston, the Lakers are three games back of the 8th-seeded Los Angeles Clippers. But as James has often said in his career, the odds of getting the Lakers to the playoffs don’t compare to the odds he grew up against in Akron, Ohio.

James told reporters he enjoys being uncomfortable, according to Lakers.com’s Joey Ramirez.

“I enjoy the challenge of anything,” James said at Wednesday’s practice. “I enjoy being uncomfortable. I enjoy being counted out.

“I’m an African-American kid from Akron, Ohio, [and] a single-parent household. Basketball is nothing compared to how I made it out. This is just basketball, and I know I’m ready for the challenge.”

…

“I’m all about being uncomfortable,” James said. “I love being uncomfortable. I fall in love with being uncomfortable. This is another uncomfortable thing for me, and I love it.”

James has been counted out several times in his career, such as the 2016 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors when he came back from a 3-1 deficit to earn Cleveland their first title in over 50 years.

The Lakers have struggled defensively and looked torn apart by the nearly two week long Anthony Davis saga. Simply put, they haven’t looked the part of a playoff team in almost two months. So while it wouldn’t be as great as some of LeBron’s greatest moments, getting these Lakers to playoffs with 25 games left would be a remarkable feat, the kind that James has made a legacy out of.