LeBron James had 28 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in the Lakers’ series-clinching win over the Rockets on Friday. At 41, James is turning back the clock and taking the Lakers on a storybook playoff run.
A Veteran's Resurgence
The veteran star’s days as the No 1 option once appeared behind him. Against the favored Rockets, he put Father Time on the ropes and his team on his back. The Lakers, who lost Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves to injury, were given little chance by oddsmakers and analysts. Yet James led them to a 4-2 series victory, sealing it in Houston on Friday night.
Key Contributions
Throughout the series, James turned back the clock on both ends, averaging 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds with nearly two steals per game. He was, by any measure, the best player on the floor. To say that no one has ever done what he’s doing at this age is an understatement. The truth is, no one has even come close.
Luke Kennard, Marcus Smart, and Deandre Ayton also played crucial roles. Kennard essentially won Game 1. Smart proved indispensable as a dirty work guy and scoring resource. Ayton was invaluable defensively and on the glass. Coach JJ Redick, who faced criticism after last season's playoff exit, showed his mettle as a tactician and leader.
The Turning Point
In Game 3, James not only got a gutsy steal on the Rockets’ Reed Sheppard and hit a miracle three-pointer at the end of regulation to force overtime, but did so mere minutes after going on a 10-0 Lakers run with his own son, including a senior-to-junior highlight alley-oop. The Lakers won that game and never looked back.
“I’ve done it throughout my career, but they still have to accept it,” James said after Game 6, on slotting back into a leadership role. “For them to allow me to lead them, that means a lot to me.”
Teammates in Awe
Reaves, who returned from injury for the final two games, said he doesn’t take what James is doing for granted. “I told him after the game, I’d like to think we have a pretty good relationship, [so] I went over to him and I was like, ‘You’re insane. The stuff that you’re doing … It’s not normal,’” he said. “With age, or whatever, he’s been in the league for 23 years … The way he can [still] control a game, it’s impressive.”
Redick, clearly moved after witnessing another chapter in the LeBron James storybook, could only shake his head. “For him to do it again, to answer the bell again, it’s really … it’s baffling, in some ways,” Redick said Friday night. “The leadership aspect, he just has this ability to set the tone for the entire group, and he did that again tonight, and our guys responded.”
Looking Ahead
The Lakers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semi-finals. The Thunder, led by MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, handed the Lakers a devastating loss in April that sidelined Dončić and Reaves. But with James playing at an unprecedented level, the Lakers believe they have a real shot.
“None of this was supposed to happen,” James said. “But the basketball gods work in mysterious ways, and for the moment, the story isn’t over quite yet.”
