MY ACCOUNT
LeBron James came good on his resolve that the Los Angeles Lakers would not make the same mistakes again, as this time they finished off the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Lakers tossed away a 72-48 half-time lead when these teams tussled in October, and held a 50-36 cushion when they met again in early November, only to lose again.
On both prior occasions, James was absent. This time he was very much present, posting 13-of-20 shooting for 33 points in a 116-95 victory on Friday night.
With Anthony Davis (knee soreness) absent, James dazzled as he played a fourth consecutive game for the first time in what has been a stop-start season for the 36-year-old superstar.
In 15 games this season, James has scored 30 or more points in seven of them. More to the point, he has reached 30 in five of his last seven games.
Ankle and abdominal injuries have been a frustration for James this season, but he said after this latest showing: “I’m just getting healthier every day.
“My injury played a big part in me getting out of game shape, but also the dynamics of how I move and how I play left me kind of hampered at times. I’ve been able to see plays before they happen but not able to make them.
“But as I continue to get stronger and stronger and my injury continues to get closer and closer to 100 per cent, I’m able to go out there and do a lot of the things that I’ve been doing over my career that benefits our team. I’m happy the way I’m feeling as of late.”
As a spectator, he had been as frustrated as anyone that the Lakers were unable to close out their previous games against Oklahoma this season.
“I was excited to play in this game just because of that reason,” James said.
“I understood the leads that we built and me watching from the sidelines, seeing those leads evaporate and them celebrating on our floor last time they played us, and I couldn’t do nothing but sit there and watch.
“They earned those wins, but I was looking forward to making an impact in this game and just trying to control the game how I know I can control the game on both sides of the floor, and I was lucky enough that my team-mates put some work in tonight and I just tried to lead them in the right direction.”
The Lakers’ win followed on from Thursday’s 108-95 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, when James had a triple-double of 20 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists but wound up on the beaten team, his shooting not at its sharpest.
This time the Lakers logged a season-high 19 three-pointers, four of those from James with Avery Bradley netting six from behind the arc
Coach Frank Vogel saluted James’ response, saying: “He was unbelievable tonight.
“I shouldn’t say it surprises me, but it’s just incredible for him to play at such a high level. To perform the way he did tonight, not only just with his shot-making but his play-making and his will to take a tough loss last night and say, ‘That’s not going to happen again’.
“The two losses we had against OKC where we built big leads and let them get back in it, he wasn’t going to let that happen again tonight.”
