The Los Angeles Lakers are hosting the Houston Rockets in Game 2 of their first-round NBA Playoffs matchup at the Crypto.com Arena. LA secured a pivotal Game 1 win despite being without star duo Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
LeBron James led the team with an impressive double-double (19 PTS, 12 AST) and made history in the process. The 41-year-old has to carry the burden of leadership in Game 2 as well, with the Rockets also getting Kevin Durant back after he missed the first game with a knee injury.
James has had an impressive performance through the first three quarters, putting up 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
He also had a heated moment on-court after aggressive off-ball defense from the Rockets, which led to him scoring a three-pointer against Alperen Sengun before trash-talking the Turkish center on his way down the court.
"Oh, what have you done?" said one fan.
"How can this guy not be the greatest ever?" said one excited LeBron fan.
"Rockets have awakened the beast, and if that's true, then James alone can take the game away," said another fan.
"The look on KD’s face at the end says everything you need to know," said one fan about the reaction shot at the end.
The Lakers are hoping to take a 2-0 lead in this game and hold a 74-68 lead after three quarters. Durant has been helping the Rockets keep pace with the Lakers, scoring 20 points on 5-6 shooting in the first 24 minutes of the contest.
James has unlocked a new gear in the Playoffs, clearly empowering his teammates to make crucial contributions. Luke Kennard has shown up as a scorer in both games, with Marcus Smart having a strong Game 2 performance as well.
The Lakers have to beat the Rockets by committee before Reaves or Doncic returns, with reports suggesting Doncic will most likely miss the entire first round before being able to play again.
This moment from James is a reminder to his opponents that he's still a major threat they can't afford to antagonize. He averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists this season.
