In their latest game, the Los Angeles Lakers bagged a key 123-120 win against the Grizzlies in what was their penultimate game of the season. Quite unsurprisingly, LeBron James stole the show with 37 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. Despite facing a struggling team, the Lakers had to pull all their strength in to register the crucial win that propelled them to eighth in the Western Conference standings. Meanwhile, in the Grizzlies’ losing effort, their rookie forward GG Jackson hit the 30-point mark once again. However, more than his performance, his attention was fixated on the transformation of LBJ during the decisive game.
Advertisement
In a post-game interview, Jackson lauded the competitive flare of the Lakers superstar. The 19-year-old noticed how early in the game, the NBA’s All-Time Leading Scorer had a relaxed body language. However, as things got tighter, he played with “mad” energy. The rookie was overwhelmed by how the four-time NBA Champion switched his demeanor as it was time to close out things.
“I’m like, ‘We just can’t get him [LeBron] mad.’ It was funny, LeBron the whole time he was dribbling down the court, he was tryna talk and all that. But when we started getting on their a**, Bron walking the ball up the court-He looking mad and stuff. So we backpedaling,” the Grizzlies rookie told reporters.
“It was cool to see him take over the game. That was bada**”. Sorry, that was bada**. Goes to show the greatness that he has and the competitiveness at age 39,” he added.
GG Jackson finished with 31 points tonight. Here he is talking about a late fourth quarter stretch battling with Lebron James: pic.twitter.com/Om3SOTKq7T
— Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) April 13, 2024
Jackson didn’t want to awaken the King’s anger. But the closeness of the game ended up doing exactly that. And the rookie was almost starstruck witnessing the greatness of James in front of his eyes.
Cometh the moment, cometh the King
In a post-game interview, James conveyed what it was like to go up against one of the youngest players in the league. He expressed that he hoped that he “inspires” the young individual like many other budding stars. Through his performance, he wanted to “give back” to the game that has given him so much. Therefore, at this point, the NBA legend wants to create a cycle of appreciation of the game among the up-and-coming league athletes. ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin covered his comments.
The 39-year-old LeBron James describes the feeling of closing out a game playing 40-plus minutes against the 19-year-old GG Jackson and the Grizzlies pic.twitter.com/51RorQTH0V
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 13, 2024
At any rate, the latest win helped the Lakers to develop a one-game advantage over the Warriors and the Kings. While they can’t go higher than the eighth seed, the positioning can make a world of difference. If they finish eighth, they will have the advantage of straightaway qualifying for the playoffs’ first round while also having one more chance to qualify. In case of a ninth or tenth place finish, they will be in a knockout scenario from the jump.
However, the Lakers’ quest for the eighth seed is far from over. They will face a sixth-seeded Pelicans in their last game. Meanwhile, the Warriors and the Kings have easier fixtures. If LBJ and Co. win, they get the eighth spot regardless of the result from other games. But if they lose, they can fall as low as tenth.
