What Rich Paul Said About LeBron James’ Incredible All-NBA Streak

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron Jameswhich is in his record 23rd NBA seasonhe had a late start to the year and that could cost him the chance to break another record.

James failed to be named to an All-NBA team just once in his career — in his rookie season in 2003-04 — and with 21 consecutive selections to date, he long ago broke the previous all-time record for most consecutive selections as well as total selections (15), the latter of which was jointly held by Tim, Kareem Dubar and Kareem Duba Abdu.

After missing the first 14 games of the season due to sciaticahowever, James’ record-breaking streak is in serious jeopardy. And if his longtime agent and close friend, Rich Paulit was his the streak would end at 21

“Look, at 41 years old, I hope he doesn’t play back to back,” Paul said, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin . “But at the same time, to make an All-NBA team and things like that … he can’t miss that many more games.

James, who had never before been able to play in a season opener, returned to the court and it looks pretty goodespecially considering that he is approaching 41 years old. But because of the 65-game minimum players need to meet to earn postseason honors, James can miss no more than three of the Lakers’ final 66 games.

Missing 17 or fewer games in a given season hasn’t been much of a problem for James at all, as he’s played at least 65 games in 17 of the previous 22 years in the NBA, including the last two since the NBA introduced minimum awards. However, James and the Lakers then had the luxury, even while dealing with injuries, to strategically deploy the league’s oldest player when it made the most sense.

Last season, for example, James played the first 23 games before a Dec. 8 game against Portland, the Lakers’ eighth game in 13 days, the first at home after spending the better part of two weeks on the road and two days after playing 43 minutes in Atlanta. James also sat out LA’s next game five days later, a trip to Minnesota, before playing five games in 11 days.

James was well on his way to 65 games until he was sidelined with a groin injury in March that caused him to miss each of the next seven games. However, he was able to bounce back and hit 12 straight before going out in the season finale in Portland.

James and the Lakers host their cross-town rivals, the Clippers, tonight at 8 PM PT in the NBA Cup.