In an NBA game that ended today, the Lakers narrowly defeated the Wizards 134-131. The game was extremely intense, and from the first quarter, the two sides launched a fierce attack. The Lakers trailed by three points in the first quarter, but managed to take the lead in the second quarter. In the ensuing game, the Lakers maintained a slight lead, but in the final quarter, the two sides engaged in a tense tug-of-war. At the critical moment, Reaves hit a shot on the board and saved the Lakers' chance to win. In the final moments of the game, Poole's stunner attempt failed, sending the game into overtime.
In terms of stats, James had a stellar performance, scoring 31 points while contributing four rebounds and nine assists. And Brother Thick Mei exploded even more, scoring 40 points, carrying 15 rebounds and 4 assists. In addition, Russell contributed 22 points, while Reaves stepped up in key moments, contributing 12 points and blocking Poole's three-pointer in overtime to seal the win for the Lakers.
Despite the Lakers' victory, they came across as having struggled overall. Perhaps because of back-to-back games, the Lakers were not able to play to their full strength, especially in overtime, when the players looked quite tired. After the game, James was even more tired and gasping for breath, which also sparked a discussion about whether he needed to be rested.
However, despite the Lakers' struggling performance overall, their goals remain clear. In the next game, the Lakers will face the Nuggets, and James is expected to achieve the feat of reaching the 40,000-point milestone for the first time in NBA history. It was undoubtedly an important game for James, but whether he should be rested has become a topic of intense concern.
In addition, the competition between the Lakers and the Warriors is getting hotter. With the Jazz and Rockets losing, the Lakers and Warriors are all but certain to play each other in the play-in tournament. For the Lakers, No. 9 is very important because they will enjoy home-court advantage. Therefore, James refused to take turns to rest and prepare for the next game, which can be said to be fully considered.
Overall, the Lakers came out on top in this game, but they also exposed some problems. In the face of the upcoming key games, the Lakers need to seriously sum up the lessons learned, adjust the state, and go all out to prepare for the next challenges.