LeBron James was substantially good in round 1 of the NBA Playoffs 2020. Even in the first game where the Lakers lost to the underdog Blazers, Bron scored a triple-double while his entire team could not touch 100 points. The only poor game that he had was Game 2, where he scored 10 points and showed some groin concerns.
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The Playoffs have always treated LeBron well. He has remained one of the most consistent playoff performers in the league. He never once averaged below 23 points per game, and that speaks of his post-season success.
LeBron James and his expanding legacy
In Game 5 of round 1, the Akron Hammer literally hammered the Blazers. He scored 24 points, 1 reb, and 5 assists until the first half. At the end of the game, he had 36 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists to his name. This triple-double got him parallel to a 32-YO franchise record set by the legendary James Worthy.
LeBron James tonight:
36 PTS
10 REB
10 AST
14-19 FGHe's the first Laker with a 30-point triple-double in the playoffs since James Worthy in 1988. pic.twitter.com/cGSefsa9w1
— StatMuse (@statmuse) August 30, 2020
James Worthy gifted his team with a historic performance in Game 7 of the 1988 finals against Detroit Pistons. This was his one-and-only triple-double, and it came at a crucial time. He scored 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists in 44 minutes of play. They beat the Pistons 108-105. It was one of the best Lakers teams ever with Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Kurt Rambis by their side.
The Los Angeles Lakers need the L-Train more than ever
Bron’s triple-double for sure did not come at a very momentous time, but it surely set the ball rolling. Also, this is the first time since 2011 that the Lakers have moved to round 2 in the Playoffs. Back then, the Lakers had Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant, but the Dallas Mavericks stopped their run.
This time around, a 35-YO LeBron would want to win the title with a third franchise. The Lakers fans have been waiting to see something like this for almost 10 years now, and it is the performances like LeBron’s triple-double that can bring the laurels back home. Anthony Davis has also picked his form very well as he scored 43 points (a whopping 31 points in the second half) in game 5.
We wish them all the luck for conference semi-finals.
