LeBron James is still there 19 years later, and it seems that the passage of time does not count for him. The Los Angeles Lakers star has managed to regain the vigor of the franchise chaining down 30-point performances just as he just turned 37. His great moment of form has given Los Angeles a second chance after his bad start to the course in 2021 and, with a narrow victory and somewhat controversial against the Sacramento Kings by 122-114, the Lakers return to enjoy a positive balance this season with 20 wins and 19 losses.
LeBron, who sentenced the match with a two plus one after a furious penetration towards the basket less than a minute from the end, he led with 31 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists to the locals. The contribution of Malik Monk, author of 24 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists, was also essential in a great final stretch of the duo before their audience.
Total, James has eight games over 30 points in his last nine appearances, and the Lakers continue in a positive trend after chaining three victories and winning four of their last five meetings. The King contributed 14 of his 31 total points in the last period, in which the Angelenos rallied from a seven-point deficit in the final minutes.
Against the Kings, their Californian rival, the contribution of other heavyweights was key in the victory. Russell westbrook, for example, forced a foul in the opponent’s attack at the decisive moment and ended without turnovers, and with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists. Five years ago, since 2016, that the challenging Mr. Triple-Double did not finish a regular season game without accumulating any losses, even more so if we count the last time he did so after playing more than 30 minutes in a game (2013).
They also appeared at the meeting Talen Horton-Tucker, author of 19 points and 6 assists, and Dwight howard, who displayed his version of yesteryear with 14 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals in 22 minutes of play from the bench.
The Kings started dominating the game with a 26-31 run at Staples and went into the break with a slight advantage (57-59). De’Aaron Fox, with 30 points and 6 assists, he was Sacramento’s most outstanding player along with Buddy hield, who made 7 triples and scored 26 points in the game.
The Lakers regained the lead heading into the fourth quarter (85-83), but the second half was plagued with script twists and turns. Tyrese haliburton, with a triple, he advanced to Sacramento with three minutes remaining.
Then LeBron and Monk appeared to lift some Lakers who sail with many doubts this regular season and await the debut with their jersey from Kendrick nunn. The first thing off the track will be to decide whether to continue with them a Avery bradley that they signed as a patch and that has ended up playing 26 games in this timid start of Los Angeles.
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