The Lakers’ LeBron James needs to stay in shape after a disappointing opening night performance.

While speaking to the media after the Lakers’ 123-109 loss to defending champion Warriors, LeBron James was measured. When asked about the Lakers shooting issue, he spoke realistically, about 3 pointers not the strength of the team.

James told reporters. “Honestly, we are not a team built on great shooting. That is [what] the truth of the matter is. It’s not like we’re sitting here with a lot of lasers on our team, but that doesn’t stop us from still trying to get great shots, and when we get those opportunities, we will take advantage of them”.

He also brought up another legend – albeit in a different sport – who has gone beyond his career lifespan to explain why a loss doesn’t mean the season is over.

“An analogy in football, you have a bunch of people who have [sic] below the runners run the line and wonder why the quarterback doesn’t throw more than 20 [yard] James said. “Okay, that’s how the team is built. That’s not [sic] That means you can’t win. Brady did it.”

It’s a completely half-baked way to approach the Lakers’ problems. They don’t shoot as well as a team, which causes a mess in attack and their defense has deteriorated significantly after overhauling their squad last season by not re-signing Alex Caruso. and trade for Russell Westbrook.

LA’s game was reminiscent of the 2002 New England Patriots, which lost 9-7 and missed the playoffs after winning the Super Bowl. That season, The Patriots’ most pass catcher was Troy Brown, who made 97 passes but averaged only 9.2 yards per reception. And while the math conversion isn’t exact, it feels similar to a 2022 NBA team scoring 109 points while scoring 25% from three.

Passing down the field was certainly not a big factor in the run against Randy Moss of the Patriots, but New England had a defense that kept it up in games. and an offense that remains patient. Driving maneuvers require precision and patience, so the Pats crafted that skill to the best of their ability.

If Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV and Thomas Bryant (when he’s healthy) could provide some defensive stabilization, maybe the Lakers could apply the Patriots’ early offensive principles to the basketball court. Bring the ball towards the basket to find the gap as close as possible and shoot away.

Now, what Brady can learn from James is how to approach the later years of his career when there are difficulties on the pitch. Their legacy is intact but they continue to compete because they can’t stay away from the limelight.

The Buccaneers are entering Week 7, and Brady’s joy of playing seems to have disappeared. It could be his personal life, the struggles in the Buccaneers’ offensive line, or both. Still, he chose to return to the pitch for season 23, after announcing his retirement earlier this year.

Those of us who aren’t athletic enough to cash in on his talent can easily tell Brady he made a mistake coming back, but being a professional athlete is a strange business. They work their whole lives to achieve their dreams in adulthood and for many, they are still there the period of life when everything they worked for is over.

Brady is closer to standard retirement age than all but a handful of professional athletes in sports history, but he may still have a lot of life ahead of him. For all the time he has devoted to his craft, he wants to get everything he can from it.

But if he continues at 45, he can take a page out of James’ books and learn to enjoy it. If Brady really feels like playing football, it can be compared with a military deployment, he needs to start that Fox Sports job this Sunday. He was yelled at his teammates all season while James looked as if he was meeting a little fun Last night, played against a team that has had his number since 2015 after seeing them receive an extra championship ring.

So sure, maybe the Lakers need to go with Kevin Faulk and Deion Branch onslaught to try to get as many wins as possible. However, Brady needs to have one of the white suits James wore on Tuesday night and just need to be cool to be one of the best ever to score money points.