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LeBron James and Co Silence Questions Over Lakers’ Playoffs Seriousness

Published 02/29/2024, 12:40 AM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

The Los Angeles Lakers’ playoffs dream remains alive. LeBron James and Co. muscled one of the best comebacks of the season tonight against the LA Clippers. The Lakers trailed the Clippers by 19 points heading into the 4th quarter. However, King James went Beast Mode in the final period and led the Lakers to a 116-112 victory. The Lakers improved their record to 32-28 after tonight’s miraculous win.

With the Lakers in deep trouble throughout the game, LeBron took responsibility on his shoulders and carried the team to victory. King James finished with 34 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. Tonight’s comeback win was also LeBron’s legendary career’s largest 4th quarter comeback. Apart from LeBron’s heroic performance, the rest of the Lakers starters also had a great game.

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Anthony Davis scored a solid 20 points and 12 rebounds. Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and Rui Hachimura held their own, combining for 48 points in the win. Another major reason for the Lakers’ epic comeback was the absence of Clippers starters Paul George and Ivica Zubac. The Clippers played shorthanded as PG missed his second straight game tonight due to a knee injury. Meanwhile, the Lakers had all their star players available and healthy. That led to a big defensive void in the Clippers’ lineup, which the Lakers took advantage of late in the game. Without Zubac in the paint, Anthony Davis was virtually unstoppable on offensive rebounds.

The Lakers had the fans doubting them early in the game

After the Clippers took a 21-point lead over the Lakers, many fans counted LeBron James and Co. out of the game. Their disappointing first-half performance even left the NBA World wondering whether the Lakers even deserved to make the playoffs this season.

Some fans claimed the Lakers are going to miss the playoffs this year.

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One Laker fan hoped the Lakers miss the post-season because he did not want to witness another “fake” playoff run.

This fan was so enraged that he wanted to file a petition to change the Lakers coach, front office, and ownership.

One analytical fan pointed out exactly when the game got out of the Lakers’ hands. After Reaves and AD missed two wide-open three-pointers in the third quarter, the Clippers went on a 10-1 run. That is when many fans turned against the Lakers.

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However, LeBron James and Co. silenced the critics with their dominant 4th quarter performance. Not many expected the Lakers to make a comeback after the humiliation they suffered in the third quarter.

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Tonight’s performance shows that the Lakers are serious about making a deep playoff run this season. They will face the Washington Wizards on a back-to-back tomorrow. LeBron James and Co. will hope to carry tonight’s momentum and add more wins to their record.

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Written by:

Rohan Bhaunt

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Rohan Singh Bhaunt, an NBA Writer at EssentiallySports, boasts a background as a divisional basketball player and an NBA enthusiast spanning over a decade. His extensive knowledge of the sport enables him to intricately explore its nuances, presenting a fresh outlook. Rohan's dive into the NBA newsdesk at ES commenced with witnessing LeBron James secure his inaugural championship in Miami.
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Edited by:

Sameen Nawathe