This Friday, the Lakers traveled to Oklahoma to try to revive there after an old loss against the Grizzlies. And you know the saying, “If we do not revive against the Thunder, then we may have to change coaches”. Hop, it was nothing, the Angelinos took place in the wake of a LeBron James boss size. We debrief.
The pretty homemade boxscore, it’s HERE!
Because for some time, being pricked the jewels of his crown by the first comer – namely Desmond Bane last Thursday -, it was necessary that LeBron James take things in hand. Drop an XXL perf to show everyone that age is not cutting her joints, that was the plan. And even if age is shearing his joints apart from elsewhere, the Lakers had to react collectively to a Thunder designed to restore confidence and take slaps. What happened ? The Lakers reacted collectively to a Thunder who gave the Angelinos confidence and took his slap. Builder of this blowout almost on his own, LeBron James left behind 33 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 interceptions and 2 blocks at 65% shooting including… 4/6 from the parking lot. It’s clean ! But at the same time, what would this big, lucky fellow be if he wasn’t a man capable of making his team win without even some of his role players have to move a finger. Many will point the finger at the level of the opponent – and rightly so – but it is always difficult to respond when you are expected. This kind of party has shaped his career and must continue to shape it for as long as possible, even when opposite are called Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Aleksej Pokusevski and Kenrich Williams. Realize, he will still be 37 years old on December 30, in 29 days. The craziest thing is that even if he freaks out from time to time, for the moment, it holds and it comes back.
“I’m starting to get healthier as the season goes on, especially my abs and groin” – LeBron James, after the Thunder win
WHAT A NIGHT LEBRON ????
33 PTS
13/20 FG
4/6 3PT
5 REB
6 AST
3 STL
34 MINHE’S 36 YEARS OLD ????@KingJames (via @Lakers)pic.twitter.com/iY00d7blq4
— Overtime (@overtime) December 11, 2021
Small stat passed in submarine which has its importance, LeBron James became this week the eleventh best interceptor in the history of the NBA with 2089 steals. He is now ahead of Karl Malone and contemplates the derche of Alvin Robertson, a former Spurs who in the 1985-86 season, still stole 3.7 leathers per game. There is therefore only 23 deceptions left by the boss of the Lakers to integrate a new Top 10 All-Time. Here, irony of fate when we contemplate his scoresheet, it is also in the defensive sector that he shone the most this Friday. Despite his thirty points, he did not squeal from the back as he can do in these days and each effort was made at the right pace, which his partners must have particularly felt. The dance is always more catchy when the TGV passes the twelfth in transition while ensuring the defensive folds. There are therefore two ways of seeing things for any player in the squad: either you have less work because he is everywhere, or you also make the effort and the overall rendering is better. We think in particular of Avery Bradley who signed 22 points and 4 interceptions, as well as Talen Horton-Tucker and Austin Reaves, the good lieutenants who had to be at his side this Friday.
Special mention for the entry of Théo Maledon in the garbage time, author of 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 lost ball, 1 assist and 1 against at 1/1 shooting. It’s always tough to compare with last season, but it’s coming back slowly.
Hoping that this is the starting point of a small series expected for almost two months. He is late in the race for the MVP, surely too much, but the goal is collective and the Lakers continue to break in quietly. It was only the Thunder though, so stay cool and we’ll see what follows.
