Game 3 against the Minnesota Timberwolves was a big one for the Los Angeles Lakers as LeBron James looked to lead the charge in taking back home-court advantage.
But despite dropping 38 points and 10 rebounds on 13-for-21 from the field and 5-for-9 from distance, it was not enough to win on the road. Unfortunately, Luka Doncic came down with a stomach bug that proved to seriously take him out of his game.
Nonetheless, to do what James is doing at 40-years-old and be able to put L.A. in a position to win was remarkable given all that went wrong. LeBron has played in the NBA Finals 10 times and has never missed a postseason game in his career, leaving head coach JJ Redick impressed with what his star has been able to do when the lights are brightest, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“I think it is very impressive. If you think about the 10 Finals runs, plus, I know there is one Conference Finals run in there with Cleveland, another one with L.A. So, 12 times in 22 years, I think that’s correct. I don’t know every single year of what LeBron did, I’d have to really think about it. I think that’s right. So, what is that? 55% of the time, he’s played an extra two months. Not only the intensity, but the games aren’t necessarily spaced out. You got very intense games in a short amount of time, particularly after you get past the first round. Those next two rounds are pretty much every other day. I think it’s just hard, particularly in the last 7-8 years as the game has changed, the wear and tear of playoff basketball and playing that way is significant. And we’ve seen a number of guys battle through stuff. So, it’s a credit to him and his commitment to the craft and his commitment to taking care of his body.”
What stings is that the Lakers could not take advantage of James turning back the clock in Game 3, putting them down 2-1 in their series with Minnesota. Having those several years of experience is something that L.A. can lean on though with the hope of turning this series around.
Regardless, there has not been a player like the four-time champion in terms of longevity. With all the nagging injuries James has had to deal with later in his career, not missing a postseason game is significant and a testament to the way he takes care of his body.
JJ Redick believes LeBron James is moving better and getting healthier
When this first round matchup began, LeBron James did not look like himself offensively in Games 1 and 2. However, he silenced those thoughts by dropping 38 points and making ridiculous 3-pointers in Game 3.
JJ Redick believes that James is moving better and getting healthier with each game that he plays, which can potentially swing the pendulum in this series.
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