The New Orleans Pelicans gave the Lakers a scare on Tuesday night. And while they did manage to win 103-111, it largely came down to LeBron James and Luka Doncic’s heroics late in the game.
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LeBron and Doncic made four straight buckets to get the Lakers from 97 to 107 points. JJ Redick gave James his flowers for the performance, though not without taking an ever-so-slight dig.
James is now 41, and while there seems to be quite a bit left in the tank, he’s very much in the twilight of his career. Ability-wise, he has shown multiple times this season that he’s still one of the best around. And there are situations when he can decide results single-handedly. But not always, said Redick in the post-game press conference.
The Lakers’ head coach acknowledged that Bron cannot be his usual self every single night of the season. But he just about does what’s needed to get over the finish line.
“Every night he doesn’t have his best stuff, but he has enough to win,” said Redick. “Sometimes he tells me to f*** off, and he calls his own pitch, which is fine, too.”
“I’m his catcher. I’ve figured out how to call the pitches. Sometimes he tells me F off, he calls his own pitch. Which is fine too.”
— JJ Redick on LeBron James
(h/t @ohnohedidnt24)pic.twitter.com/h0xhXNxJig
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 7, 2026
That’s something James has done throughout his career, irrespective of who the coach is. When he feels that he has a play in mind that can result in a basket in crucial stages, he doesn’t shy away and becomes the man in charge.
Other superstars of the game also do this. Just recently, Giannis Antetokounmpo decided to take control of the Milwaukee Bucks’ final possession that resulted in a much-needed victory for them.
James, thanks to his wealth of experience, has one of the smartest minds in basketball today. That’s certainly something even coaches, with their egos kept aside, can rely on most nights.
“I don’t have any holes in my game, so it helps to be able to do whatever the team needs in that particular moment,” said James earlier this week while talking about his usefulness at the age of 41.
