With the L.A. Clippers moving to their new arena after the 2023-24 season, it marked the final time the Los Angeles Lakers would be a road team at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night.
The Clippers have owned the Lakers during the regular season in recent years and it appeared they were on their way to another win. The Clippers had a 19-point lead going into the fourth quarter, and the Lakers didn’t have many answers on either end of the floor for them.
However, LeBron James decided it was time for him to take over the game as he exploded offensively and led the purple and gold to arguably their most exciting win of the season.
James was a man on a mission in the fourth quarter, burying 3-pointer after 3-pointer to trim down the Clippers’ lead. No matter what the Clippers tried to do defensively, James simply sought out James Harden on switches and made him pay with a constant stream of baskets.
James somehow outscored the entire Clippers team by himself in the fourth, 19-16, showcasing he still has the ability to dominate crunch time when his team needs him the most. Unsurprisingly, James led all scorers with 34 points on 13-of-21 shooting including 7-of-12 from distance. He also added eight assists, six rebounds and two blocks.
His scoring outburst also put him just a couple of games away from becoming the first NBA player to score 40,000 points in league history.
Despite the Herculean effort, James did have some help as his co-star Anthony Davis got off to a hot start despite picking up two early fouls. Davis was the focal point of the offense in the first quarter, dominating both ends of the floor because of his size advantage.
Although he was quieter in the second half, Davis was still an integral part of the comeback thanks to his rim protection. He would finish the night with a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds to go along with three blocks and two steals.
D’Angelo Russell also kept the Lakers’ momentum going by hitting some timely outside shots, including a huge corner three late in the fourth quarter that gave them a six-point lead. Russell ended the night with 18 points and six assists.
What’s next for Lakers
The Lakers don’t get much time to rest as they host the Washington Wizards on the second night of a back to back. They’ll then draw the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night primetime.
