The Los Angeles Lakers went into the fourth quarter of their game against the L.A. Clippers down 19 points and seemingly on their way to a third loss in four games. But then LeBron James flipped a switch and Anthony Davis and the rest of the Lakers got to witness an absolute virtuoso performance.
LeBron scored 19 of his 34 points in the final quarter, singlehandedly outscoring the Clippers by himself as the Lakers came back for an exhilarating 116-112 victory. Of course James was the story after the game, but Davis also credited the defensive effort in the comeback, particularly from the group that began the fourth.
“Get stops,” Davis responded when asked how the Lakers came back. “Obviously Bron was going into his little sicko mode and just ran off like 40 straight, but we just had to get stops in order to get the win. I think they had a 35 or 36-point third quarter, Norm hit the 3 to go up 21, but we were able to buckle down with that group that started the fourth quarter, Jaxson, Bron, Cam, TP, they were able to do it defensively and get us going in the first six minutes.
“Obviously Bron’s scoring, but they kind of set the tone for us in the fourth quarter and we never folded, we never gave up and stayed together and stayed resilient. Then guys came in and made big shots. Rui, DLo, Bron with his stellar play in the fourth quarter and his passing. We just had to step up and make shots.”
The Lakers held the Clippers to just 16 points on 41.2% shooting in the fourth quarter so the defense definitely stepped up when it needed to. And with the Lakers trying to climb the standings, Davis was just happy for the Lakers to get the win, but still appreciated being able to witness LeBron’s run.
“Just a big win for us,” Davis added. “There’s teams ahead of us and we’re trying to climb up in the standings so didn’t want to lose two in a row. Sometimes you sit on the bench and you get to witness greatness and be a fan. And that’s what it was for a lot of us tonight. I know I was watching just being a fan of what he was able to do, Bron.
“But then just the team as well, how great they were playing to start the fourth quarter. Me and AR were about to sub in and we told Coach to let him rock, let them go. Then when Bron got a little tired and threw that turnover and it was a time, we were like alright, it’s time to get back in. But you definitely become a fan.”
This is Davis and LeBron’s fifths season together with the Lakers so the big man has seen plenty of unreal performances and this was another one. But even after seeing so many, Davis admitted to a fanboy moment on this night.
“I was off the floor when he went through his little stretch, I was on the floor when he was doing his passes,” Davis said. “But I’ve been around him long enough, played with him long enough to see and be on the floor when he’s had those moments, He is who he is. He’s a phenomenal basketball player and he makes a ton of plays for our team. So to witness it from the sideline tonight, it was definitely a fanboy moment.”
Hopefully the Lakers won’t always need these types of LeBron outbursts to pick up wins, but it is definitely great to see that he can turn it on to the highest of levels when needed.
Lakers’ LeBron James was ‘just in the zone’ in fourth quarter vs. Clippers
LeBron James went to another level in the fourth quarter against the Clippers, knocking down five 3-pointers to lead the Lakers’ comeback. Afterward, James described the zone he was in during that run.
“I was just in the zone,” James said. “I know we’ve kind of heard what it feels like to be in the zone in our sport and it’s just a feeling where you feel like everything you put up is going in. For me, I just kept it consistent. I wasn’t taking ill-advised shots. I stayed in the course of the offense […] It’s just a zone, and you can’t really describe it. You wish you could stay in it forever, but obviously it checks out once the game ends. But during it, you don’t feel anything. It’s just like a superpower, I feel.”
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