LeBron James' minutes restriction likley the new norm as superstar enters new chapter

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The 21st season of LeBron James' storied NBA career tipped off on Tuesday night.

James has logged a significant amount of minutes on the basketball court over the years, but during the season opener against the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets, the four-time NBA champion was limited to 29 minutes of action.

Second-year Los Angeles Lakers coach Darvin Ham said that James' workload on Tuesday was indicative of the team's plan. 

"It's easy with him to get caught up in the emotion of the game, and you tend to forget you want to play these long stretches, but in order for him to be as effective as possible, we have to be mindful of the minute output and how long his stretches are," Ham said.

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LeBron James, #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers, walks off the court after losing to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Opening night game at Ball Arena on October 24, 2023, in Denver, Colorado. (Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)

The Nuggets held a program championship ring ceremony and appeared to be energized early on in the game. Denver jumped out to 18-point lead and went on to win 119-107.

Despite the minutes restriction, James finished the night with a team high of 21 points.

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"Listen, I mean, I always want to be on the floor. Especially when you got an opportunity to win a game, or you feel like you can make an impact," James said after the game. "But this is the system in place, and I'm going to follow it."

James also expressed confidence about his ability to impact the game for however long he is on the basketball court.