Only a few would remember that 38-year-old LeBron James outrebounded two bigger guys on his team Anthony Davis and Jarred Vanderbilt, and also the Grizzlies’ Defensive Player of the Year, Jaren Jackson Jr, in Game 4.
Advertisement
When the Ja Morant-led Memphis team was aggressing toward a comeback win to level the series 2-2, 6ft 9’ James stood tall in their way with 20 rebounds and 2 blocks to go along with 22 points and 7 assists, in a 117-111 OT win.
There might be a lot of naysayers that don’t want him anyway near the GOAT conversation and because of that, they never appreciate his greatness on a daily basis. But there are some who do see it.
Magic Johnson and the NBA community praise LeBron James’ emphatic performance
James grabbed some crucial rebounds, including one from Ja’s missed free throw late in regulation, and also topped it off with some great unstoppable drives, while he struggled from the 3-point line.
NBA Twitter led by Magic Johnson and Draymond Green gave their flowers to The King of the NBA.
“LeBron James saved the Lakers tonight with a king-sized performance to put the Lakers up 3-1 in the Series!” Tweeted Lakers legend.
LeBron James saved the @Lakers tonight with a king-sized performance to put the Lakers up 3-1 in the Series!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 25, 2023
Magic couldn’t stop at that.
LeBron James hit the game-tying layup to send the Lakers into overtime and finished with 22 points, 20 rebound and 7 assists 🤯. To put his performance in perspective, he’s the first Laker with 20 points and 20 rebounds in the Playoffs since Shaq in 2004!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 25, 2023
So couldn’t Green and Big Perk.
Tough Bron!!!
— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) April 25, 2023
That Lion/Bear is ROARING tonight!!!! We have to Cherish these 🐐 Moments. Carry the hell on…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) April 25, 2023
And a few more of the NBA community.
In Year 20, on a night he just doesn’t have it, finds a way to make the TWO biggest baskets of the game, to go along with a humble 22-20-7-2 with just 1 turnover in 45 grueling minutes to go up 3-1 on the 2 seed.
Truly one of one. The 👑👑👑
— nick wright (@getnickwright) April 25, 2023
It’s year twenty and Lebron still hitting the key baskets in OT of a playoff game.
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) April 25, 2023
With 3 games still left in the series, the result could still go either way. But what we have seen from James after the 2014 Finals, that is not happening even in any of the Grizzlies’ wildest dreams. Not until somebody important in the Purple and Gold team gets injured.
Are the Lakers now favorite to through the West?
It is difficult to evaluate it from their current performance in the series against the Grizzlies because they are not at full strength. Their top frontcourt players, Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke have not played a single minute in the 4 game series and they would not be for the remaining games.
However, neither the Warriors/Kings nor the Nuggets/Suns (considering they both come out of their respective first rounds), have a big post presence to stop either James or AD. Those are teams the Lakers might play if they continue their winning journey. So, they have got a good chance of going all the way through to the Finals.
