SUMMARY
- LeBron James led the Lakers to a win against the Grizzlies 120-123.
- The 4x NBA Champion had brought the Lakers to the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers fought through and managed to secure a big win against the Memphis Grizzlies. It was a tough fight Grizzlies despite them not having Ja Morant around. LA managed to win the entire regular season series 3-1. While their previous games were one-sided at times, this game was tied to the brim throughout its entirety. There were times when the Lakers seemed like they were about to lose.
LEBRON JAMES IS NOT HUMAN🔥🔥
pic.twitter.com/LVOY6xJkvL— Lakers Loop (@lakersloop) April 13, 2024
LA got up a pretty good start before the Grizzlies started to pick up pace in the third quarter. The Lakers flipped the switch once again in the fourth while the Grizzlies had an answer for every shot they made. With under 2 minutes left in the final quarter, the Grizzlies managed to cut the chase to a single digit or tie the game at 1:07. James had the final possessions for LA which meant guaranteed points.
LeBron James believes the Lakers weren’t playing with urgency this season
LA did not have a great start to the season which is why they’re amongst the Play-In Tournament teams right now. Coming into this game, the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings were tied with LA in the standing with a 45-35 record. However, with both the other teams losing their games, this has put the Lakers in the 8th seed. James acknowledged their season struggles and claimed his team didn’t play with a sense of urgency.
He said, “You know, coming into the game we all knew it was a three-way tie between us, Golden State, and Sac[ramento]. A lot of implications going on. Obviously, those games will be played out how they’re played out. And that you take care of yourself. But we need to take care of [ourselves] and I feel we wasn’t playing with enough urgency.” He believes that he’s responsible for setting the tone and ensuring his teammates understand what needs to be done to secure victories.
LeBron James isn’t happy about the Lakers’ current position
It is understandable why LeBron James doesn’t like where the Lakers rank at the moment. Besides a large amount of inconsistencies, James and Anthony Davis have also been playing through injuries. Through it all, James has put up 25.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. Davis has averaged 24.5 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. During the post-game locker room interview, James revealed, “Every game matters, every seed matters.”
VINTAGE LEBRON JAMES 🔥🔥
pic.twitter.com/9YCD76YLLy— Lakers Loop (@lakersloop) April 13, 2024
He added, “But, whatever, however, wherever you fall, you can’t play in the past. Absolutely, I can’t sit here and say I much rather be where we are today than the one seed. That would be a lie. So, of course, seeds matter.” The Lakers will most likely face the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the Play-In Tournament. A win would secure them the 7th seed to play against either Oklahoma, Denver, or Minnesota. A loss would have them play against the winner of the 9th vs. 10th seed game for the final spot in the playoffs.