In a midseason tournament playout game, the Los Angeles Lakers narrowly defeated the Phoenix Suns 106-103. The 39-year-old LeBron James once again showed his full Zhan mode and performed well throughout the game, scoring 31 points, 8 rebounds, 11 assists and 5 steals, making countless fans lament the impact of the years on him.
This game was not an easy one for the Lakers. In the first quarter, the Suns made frequent mistakes, and the Lakers seized the opportunity to take a 10-point lead. In the second quarter, the Lakers led by 15 points at one point and maintained a 12-point margin at halftime. However, in the second half of the game, Kevin Durant swung the Grim Reaper scythe, Allen felt hot outside the three-point line, and the Suns once overtook the score. Luckily, the Lakers' Reaves stepped up and managed to hold on to a one-point lead with the help of 13 points in a single quarter.
In the final quarter of the game, James once again exerted his might. He scored seven straight points in the final minute to give the Lakers the lead. Although Durant hit two consecutive three-pointers to close the gap, James scored four points in a row in the final minute to stabilize the situation. Then, Reaves' crucial three-pointer sealed the win.
James' performance was outstanding, and he was the focus of the game with a quasi-triple-double of 31 points, 8 rebounds, 11 assists and 5 steals. It is worth mentioning that he became the first 39-year-old player in NBA history to reach five steals in a single game.
In addition to James, the Lakers' Reaves also played well, and he helped the team to victory with 20 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists. And James Jones, the former No. 1 knife guard, now serves as the general manager of the Suns.
In addition, Davis was outstanding on both the offensive and defensive ends, contributing 27 points and 15 rebounds. In comparison, the Suns' starting center Nurkic only had 3 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists, and did not provide enough help to Durant and Booker.
It was a tough game for us, but we won it with great defense and teamwork. "- Lakers head coach.
According to the statistics, the Lakers caused 20 turnovers by the Suns in this game, compared to only 9 of their own. In addition, the Lakers grabbed 21 frontcourt rebounds and 24 backcourt rebounds as a team, while the Suns only had 8 frontcourt rebounds, and the gap was very significant.
The Lakers' forward line has shown great strength, and the performances of players such as Reddish, Hachimura, Prince and Van der Biao have made it clear that a fully healthy Lakers team has excellent overall strength. Meanwhile, the Suns are missing a $46.74 million star named Beal.
The Lakers showed great defensive prowess in this game, they put a lot of pressure on the Suns, and won with steals and rebounds. "- Basketball Specialist.
The win left the Lakers undefeated in the midseason tournament as they advance to the semifinals against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Suns' mid-season tournament journey came to an end after the loss, and they dropped to seventh place in the West.
The win in this game meant a lot for the Lakers, who showed great strength and team spirit. At the same time, James' outstanding performance once again proved his strength and influence. The win put the Lakers on an unbeaten run in the midseason tournament and gave the team confidence for future games.
Readers are welcome to leave your thoughts and comments on this game and join us to discuss the Lakers' performance and their prospects in the mid-season tournament. In the meantime, please share this article to let more people know the details and the story behind this wonderful game.