LeBron James scored 15 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 106-103 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, helping them secure the final semifinal spot in the inaugural NBA mid-season tournament.
Austin Reaves (20 points) and Anthony Davis (27 points and 15 rebounds), the top-seeded Lakers’ leading scorers, will play New Orleans on Thursday in Las Vegas. Milwaukee plays Indiana in the East semifinal. The NBA Championship will be decided this Saturday, and the winner will receive the Cup.
James added five steals, eight rebounds, and eleven assists. “You’ve got some of the most alpha male competitors in the world, and if you give us an opportunity to play for something meaningful or an incentive, then you get what you’re getting,” said James. “The in-season tournament is what it is, and we have an opportunity to play on a big stage, be on national television, and represent our families, our communities, and where we come from.”
James put up an incredible shooting performance in the closing seconds. In the final quarter, the 21-year-old veteran scored 15 of the Lakers’ first 19 points and assisted on his teammates’ other two baskets to help Los Angeles pull away.
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Despite scoring 31 points, Suns player Kevin Durant missed a critical three-point attempt at the buzzer. Phoenix has won eight out of ten games before losing its third game of the season to Los Angeles.
Devin Booker’s layup with 29 seconds left cut the Lakers’ lead to 102-101, but Reaves’ third 3-pointer with 15 seconds left sealed the victory.
The refs granted James’ request for a timeout, which infuriated the Suns because Booker had just swatted the ball away from Reaves, setting up Durant for another basket a few seconds later.
“It’s a loose ball, and you can’t call a timeout on a loose ball,” Phoenix coach Frank Vogel declared. “There is a whistling sound. I have no idea why. Every item in the league might be examined. Why that isn’t up for review is beyond me. The dumb whistle went off, along with the turnover and the trap. It’s just inconvenient.”
Reaves said he thought it was likely that Booker had fouled him right before the timeout was triggered.
“There was no call, and LeBron made a high-IQ play he’s made a million times,” Reaves said.
Despite his coach’s indignation with the call, Durant said he didn’t initially believe the ball was loose when the timeout was authorised.
That’s not the ballgame, Durant said. That’s just one play. There is a 48-minute game. I’m not one to complain about phone calls. The referee won’t always call every play correctly. At times, it’s our duty to play through everything without worrying about handing the referee the victory.”
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Durant only converted one of his two free throw attempts, but he still had a chance to tie the game with a 30-foot jumper when Davis was eventually fouled.
Booker and Grayson Allen each scored 21 points apiece for Phoenix.
The Lakers, who triumphed in Phoenix on November 10 and went undefeated in the first round of the competition, took the lead in the West. The Suns recovered from that setback to earn a wild-card spot in the next round of play.
Even though opinions among fans on the advantages of the in-season tournament are still split, Vogel and Lakers coach Darvin Ham both claimed that their players are embracing the competitive spirit, particularly in light of the desire to earn cash bonuses for their teams’ younger players and support personnel.
“They have no idea what that bag is,” said a beaming Ham. “Money speaks, man.”
The Suns lost their second straight game to Bradley Beal’s ongoing back problem, but they held on despite the Suns committing 22 mistakes and their two healthy superstars struggling with foul trouble. Booker was flagged for his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter, while Durant, who had previously committed four, was flagged for his fifth with 3:18 left in the contest.
In just the first quarter of the season, Phoenix committed the most turnovers (10 total) of any NBA team. The Suns recovered for 14 straight points after the half to take the lead after trailing by 15 points at the half.
“We didn’t do enough early in the game,” Vogel said. “The turnovers and on the glass, if we do a better job, we’re not talking about a close game like that.”
Some general FAQs about the Los Angeles Lakers
National Basketball League’s Detroit Gems made their debut in 1947. Minnesota’s Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen bought the gems from inventor and owner C. King Boring and his business partner Maury Winston for $15,000. A Lakers team was formed.
Based in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Lakers are a professional basketball club made up of Americans. The Lakers are a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference and play in the National Basketball Association.
Los Angeles Lakers: a total of 17 titles: Chicago Bulls (7), Cleveland Cavaliers (6), Boston Celtics (17).
The league’s senior statesmen will open historic firsts in 2023–2024. LeBron James, 38, begins his 21st NBA season. James was the youngest player on the court when he debuted 20 years ago. He’s the league’s oldest.
At eighteen years and six days old, Andrew Bynum is the youngest player to have ever participated in a regular-season game. Born on October 27, 1987, the Los Angeles Lakers center joined the NBA straight out of high school in 2005.
Together, Gasol and Kobe Bryant accomplished everything, and their numbers are now displayed side by side in the Lakers arena. Tuesday night, the Lakers retired Gasol’s No. 16 jersey in honor of the gentlemanly big man who spent his best NBA seasons in Los Angeles with Bryant. Gasol’s age was eighteen.
American sports executive Jeanie Marie Buss was born on September 26, 1961. She co-owns and promotes Women of Wrestling and is the president and controlling owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers.
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