LeBron James produces 'spectacular' performance to cap whirlwind weekend
Monday 16 December 2019 08:28, UK
LeBron James finished off a whirlwind weekend with another dazzling performance.
Not looking the least bit tired, James scored 32 points and the Los Angeles Lakers held on for a 101-96 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
The Lakers pulled even with Milwaukee for the NBA's best record at 24-3.
"Highlights, sometimes they happen, sometimes they don't," James said. "I try to play the game with a lot of joy."
After scoring 28 points in a win at Miami on Friday night, James flew to Columbus, Ohio, to watch his son Bronny play a high school game on Saturday night. Then, he travelled on to Atlanta to face the struggling Hawks.
He never considered sitting out.
"I don't know how many games I have got left in my career," the 34-year-old James said. "I don't know how many kids show up to come see me play. That is my obligation. My obligation is to play."
The Hawks kept it close all the way. Vince Carter passed up an open layup and dished to rookie Cam Reddish in the corner for a potential tying three-pointer, but the shot clanked off the rim. Danny Green went to the other end and knocked down a pair of free throws to send the Hawks to their fourth straight loss.
The victory was the Lakers 14th consecutive away win, the second-longest such streak in team history.
"No matter what the game presents, we have been able to figure it out," James said. "Being resilient, relying on our defense, knowing we can get stops at critical times and just trying to execute on the [offensive] end."
If the home team were hoping to get an off night from James, he quickly dispelled that notion.
James had the crowd - many of them decked out in his No 23 jersey - oohing and ahhing with an appropriate 23-point effort in the first half.
He threw down three thunderous slams. He knocked down a couple of mid-range jumpers. He ventured out beyond the arc to swish a couple of three-pointers - including a step-back shot from nearly five feet behind the stripe to finish off the first half, sending the Lakers to the locker room with a 55-48 lead.
He also had seven rebounds and blocked a shot, but the play that really had everyone talking was an assist - a no-look, between-the-legs pass that caught Dwight Howard breaking down the lane for a massive dunk.
James wasn't done.
In the third quarter, he pulled up just inside the Hawks center-court logo and swished another three-pointer from 36 feet to give the Lakers a 10-point edge.
"He was spectacular," Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. "He had some all-time clips."
Anthony Davis scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Lakers. James also had 13 rebounds, along with seven assists. The pair's combined effort allowed the Lakers to overcome 22 turnovers and a sub-par 36 per cent team field goal percentage.
Speaking on NBA TV's Gametime after the Lakers' win, former Laker Brian Shaw said: "When you have LeBron and AD, your margin for error is a little larger than that of other teams.
"The thing that is nice about this team is that whatever style of play the opposition tries to play against them, they are able to adjust and adapt to it. When the game slows down they can throw it inside and when it is an up-and-down game they can play that way too."
Fellow Gametime analyst and Hall-of-Famer Kevin McHale said: "You win when Anthony Davis and LeBron combine for 59 points, 26 rebounds and 10 assists! It was a tidy night for those two! Those two guys are just great players.
"The Lakers couldn't throw the ball in the ocean, as LeBron said, but when you have two of the most dominant players in the league - probably two of the NBA's top five players - on your team, you are going to win a lot of games even if you don't play well.
"I have seen the Lakers play really well. They are a scary team when they are making shots, running [the floor] and making shots. They are for real, there is no question about that."
