LeBron James' first career 20-20 line powers Lakers' OT win
On Monday's Game 4 against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Los Angeles Lakers were playing against their first-round rival. In the game's overtime, LeBron James, the Lakers' 38-year-old star, made a layup while being fouled by Dillon Brooks. Playing for 45 minutes, James flexed both biceps and roared with his mouth open, expressing his excitement for the game.
The Lakers went on to win 117-111, putting them in a 3-1 series lead, which could potentially make them the first No. 7 seed to defeat a No. 2 seed since San Antonio in 2010. James believed that the play he made in overtime didn't necessarily "close the door" but sealed it, as there wasn't much chance for Memphis to win after that. The emotional moment was felt by James, and he let his emotion come out.
James finished the game with an impressive stat line of 22 points, 20 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and just one turnover. His emotional reaction after making the crucial layup showed the intensity he brings to every game and his desire to win. This performance will be etched in the memories of fans who witnessed it as an instant classic.
NBA LAKERS RELATED ARTICLE
The 38-year-old LeBron James played an outstanding performance in the Lakers' Game 4 against the Memphis Grizzlies, where he made a layup while being fouled by Dillon Brooks in overtime, leading to L.A. winning 117-111 and taking a 3-1 series lead. James' energetic reaction after the game-sealing play has been the talk of the town, as he flexed both biceps and roared with his mouth open. This instant classic performance by James included 22 points, 20 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and only one turnover, making it his first 20-20 line in his 1,693 regular-season, play-in, and postseason games. James also became the oldest player since Wilt Chamberlain in 1973 to achieve this statistical milestone.
After being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in 2021 and failing to qualify for the postseason last year, James has led his team to the verge of creating history by becoming the first No. 7 seed to beat a No. 2 seed since San Antonio in 2010. James seems motivated to make another championship run and relishes these moments, saying, "I just love being able to make plays and be out there with my teammates to give them experiences that they maybe never had before." The Lakers will look to close out the series in Game 5 and move on to the next round.
James contributed to the Lakers' success in multiple ways, including blocking shots in the first half and drawing charges on Memphis star Ja Morant in the fourth. According to Lakers coach Darvin Ham, James understands that he needs to lead by example for his teammates to succeed.
In addition to his defensive contributions, James made a crucial game-tying layup with 0.8 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, allowing the Lakers to reach overtime. With this impressive performance, James has his team looking like a strong contender to make a postseason run.
James described his approach to layups in his own words, saying that he works on various layup techniques. He explained that he categorizes them into three tiers. Tier 1 involves laying the ball off the glass right under the rim. Tier 2 is laying the ball off the middle of the glass or the middle of the square. Finally, Tier 3 is laying the ball over the square.
Anthony Davis, who sources told ESPN was struggling with a sore right hip that he hurt against the Phoenix Suns 2½ weeks ago, blocked Morant's potential game-winning shot at the end of regulation to ensure the extra session.
Davis acknowledged that things won't always go as planned, especially in a game as intense as the Lakers-Grizzlies matchup. Despite his initial struggles, Davis finished strong with a 3-for-5 performance in the fourth quarter and overtime. He emphasized that winning is what ultimately matters and he was able to leave his mark on the game through his defensive contributions.
The Lakers' victory was the result of a team effort, with James leading the way. Davis contributed 12 points, 11 rebounds, and four blocks, despite struggling with a sore right hip. Austin Reaves was the team's leading scorer with 23 points, while Jarred Vanderbilt, who had only scored 12 points in the first three games combined, added 15 points.
D'Angelo Russell tallied 17 points before getting fouled out of the game, hitting three consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter that helped Los Angeles come back from a seven-point deficit and take the lead.
Coach Ham expressed his gratitude to D'Angelo Russell for his significant contribution to the Lakers' victory, stating that Russell carried the team offensively during a difficult stretch. Russell, who scored 17 points and hit three consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to give the Lakers the lead, played a crucial role in the team's win. Without his remarkable performance, the Lakers would not have been able to achieve the victory.
And if James doesn't play the way he's played this late into his career, the Lakers likely don't make it to the postseason in the first place, one win away from upsetting the Grizzlies.
"The closeout game is always the hardest game of the series," James said, looking ahead to Game 5 on Wednesday. "It's the most tiring one. It's the most brutal one. And we better be ready for it. And I think we'll be ready for it."
Dejounte Murray explains his on-court collision with a referee, stating that their past history was a factor in the incident.
Atlanta Hawks guard dejounte murray acknowledged that there were multiple factors that led to his contact with referee gediminas petraitis and outburst of shouting after his team's game 4 loss to the boston celtics in their eastern conference first-round series.
The Hawks announced that Murray has been suspended for one game following his altercation with referee Gediminas Petraitis. This means that he will not be able to play in Game 5 as the Hawks face elimination down 3-1.
Murray, who was suspended for one game after making contact with and shouting at referee Gediminas Petraitis, addressed the incident for the first time on Tuesday, taking full responsibility for not being able to play in Game 5. However, he also mentioned that there were several frustrations that led up to the incident and that other players could relate to those frustrations.
According to Murray, his frustration with referee Gediminas Petraitis was due to a perceived lack of respect and accountability. Murray felt that the official missed calls during Sunday's game and that it was difficult to reach an understanding with him regarding those calls.
Murray said that his concerns were not just limited to Game 4, but it dated back to his time with the San Antonio Spurs before he was traded to Atlanta last summer. He believed that he and Petraitis did not have the same kind of relationship that he had with other officials.
Murray expressed that he had been ignored and brushed off by Petraitis, who did not respond to questions from him or his teammates on how they could improve. He believed that his relationship with Petraitis was not the same as with other officials and that the treatment he received went back to his time with the San Antonio Spurs before being traded to Atlanta last summer.
"I'm a player who likes to have conversations, especially with the referees. You ask 98 percent of the refs why they greet me before games, and they'll tell you it's because I'm one of the most respectful ones. I don't complain about calls, I don't disrespect them, call them out their names, none of that," Murray said, explaining his approach towards interacting with referees.
Late Monday, the NBA suspended Dejounte Murray without pay for one game due to him making contact with and verbally abusing an official at the end of Sunday's Game 4, just moments after the Hawks checked into their hotel in Boston.
"At the end of the day, I feel like, I don't think I should have been suspended," Murray said. "But like I said, it's out of my control."
Murray made contact with Petraitis and shouted at him right after the final buzzer at the end of Game 4. After bumping into the referee, Murray turned back, pointed, and yelled at someone else before leaving the court. The incident resulted in his one-game suspension for Game 5.
The player who scored 23 points, had 9 rebounds and 6 assists in 40 minutes, Dejounte Murray, did not speak to the media immediately after the game.
Murray delivered the same message to his teammates whether he was playing or not playing, and he told them to continue to play the right way, listen to coach Quin Snyder, who has great plans, and stay together. According to Murray, consistency and staying together as a whole have been the words they've been preaching all year. He made these comments during Tuesday's shootaround.
The Utah Jazz coach, Quin Snyder, mentioned to reporters on Monday that he and his assistants were still undecided on how to replace Dejounte Murray in the lineup for the next game, less than an hour after the news of Murray's suspension was announced.
"Beating Boston in the Garden in the situation we're in right now, we all know is a challenge in and of itself," Snyder said Monday. "[But] it's something the entire group has to absorb."
To fill in the minutes lost from Murray's suspension, Hawks coach Nate McMillan may consider starting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, who typically comes off the bench.
Murray is averaging 25.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.3 steals through four games in this series for the Hawks.
Dejounte Murray was fined $20,000 while he was still playing for the Spurs last season. He was ejected from a game in Memphis on February 28, 2022, after throwing a ball off the legs of a referee.
The NBA's suspension of Murray means he won't be permitted to watch the Game 5 elimination game between the Hawks and the Celtics from inside TD Garden. However, during the team's shootaround before the game, Murray told reporters he was still deciding on where he would watch the game. He also joked that he wouldn't be visiting any bars in the city.
Murray stated that traveling with the team and letting them know that he's present was a given. Even though he will not be able to support them on the bench, he emphasized that he will still provide them with support.
Paul George: 'Frustrating' to see Clippers derailed by injuries
The LA Clippers were facing the challenge of playing without their two franchise stars in Game 5, and prior to the game, Paul George expressed his frustration with the injuries that have impacted the team's season. "Super frustrating" was how George described the situation.
In his first interview since his right knee sprain on March 21, Paul George expressed frustration at how injuries have affected the Clippers' championship aspirations. George stated that both he and Kawhi Leonard were disappointed that the Clippers may not achieve their potential as title contenders due to injuries. The Clippers will face the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 on Tuesday night, with the series standing at 3-1 in favor of the Suns.
Paul George expressed his frustration with injuries plaguing the Clippers' playoff runs in an interview at the team's shootaround before Game 5 against the Phoenix Suns. He mentioned that both he and Kawhi Leonard were feeling frustrated that the team might not be able to reach their full potential due to injuries. George also talked about the team's effort to build a competitive team and how injuries have hindered their progress.
"I didn't come here for this reason, and I know Kawhi didn't come here for this reason," George said. "We had big plans to win, to do something special for Clipper Nation, but I'm a big believer that everything happens for a reason, and you just pick up the pieces and try to make a hand out of what you're dealt. ... I'm very optimistic that our time will come."
The Leonard-George duo did not expect to exit the playoffs in the first round while watching from the sideline. This is the fourth year of their partnership with the Clippers.
Kawhi Leonard has been sidelined since Game 2 due to a right knee sprain that he sustained during Game 1. Leonard played through it in Game 2, but the injury worsened and he will miss his third consecutive game. This injury has been difficult for Leonard to accept, especially after he missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a torn right ACL and spent the season trying to get back into shape for the playoffs. He had an outstanding performance in the first two games of the series, averaging 34.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists.
George spoke about Leonard's injury and said, "It's been really hard for him... people don't understand is Kawhi is a trouper, man. Kawhi is willing to put it on the line. The fact that he got hurt Game 1, tried to play through it Game 2 and people think that he's out because he doesn't want to play. I think it just attacks his character, where people don't understand."
"He'll play through it if he can. There's got to be a reason why he's out. And he wants to be out there with us and he wants to be out there to lead ... I know it hurts him not to be able to be on that floor and continue to lead how he was," said George.
Westbrook has been a key player for the Clippers in the absence of Leonard and George, exceeding expectations since he was added to the team at the All-Star break following his contract buyout with the Utah Jazz. George had advocated for Westbrook to be added to the team, and now he says that the Clippers need Westbrook to return next season.
In the first four games of the series, Westbrook has been a standout performer, averaging 26 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7.3 assists with a 40.9% shooting accuracy from beyond the arc. This impressive performance could potentially increase his market value as a free agent this summer.
George said of the former MVP point guard. "That we all knew that he still has. Definitely gonna be some decisions [in the offseason for Westbrook to consider]. I definitely vouched for him to be here. I'm definitely vouching for him to come back.
It's truly impressive to witness the level of dedication and contribution that this individual brings to their team. Despite being older than myself, they consistently put their body on the line and give their all to the franchise during this important playoff run. In my opinion, this individual represents the ideal leader for our team's point guard position and I would be thrilled to have them back.
Based on recent updates, George seems to be making progress in his workouts on the court. However, he has acknowledged that his injury will require at least six weeks of recovery time. As of Tuesday, it had been five weeks since the injury occurred during the game against Oklahoma City on March 21st.
George stated that he has not reached the six-week mark yet. Therefore, he will have to make a decision whether to attempt to play or wait until the second round when he is fully recovered.
"Returning from an injury is undoubtedly a challenging task," George stated. "As he mentioned, the six-week mark was already an aggressive goal to achieve, given the nature of his injury. It is essential to be cautious and avoid rushing the recovery process, as there is always a risk of aggravating the injury. Even after returning, certain limitations and soreness are expected, as the muscles need to rebuild their memory. Therefore, taking it one day at a time is the best approach to ensure a safe and effective recovery."
It seems like George believes that he and Leonard have a good chance of winning a championship with the Clippers, and that they are not putting all their hopes on next season alone.
George, who is 32 years old, expressed his belief that he still has many good years left in him. He also acknowledged that his teammate Kawhi Leonard likely feels the same way, but George won't put any pressure on him regarding that matter. George admitted that being injured is frustrating and it sucks. However, he remains positive and believes that his team has what it takes to win the series and advance further. He hopes to join them on the court at some point.
Paul George acknowledged that he and Kawhi Leonard only played a limited number of games together this season. However, he emphasized that during those games, they were able to showcase their potential as a team when they are both in good health. Despite the short period of time that they were able to play together, George believes that they have shown enough to be optimistic about what they can achieve in the future.
The Lakers' Latest Match
In their latest match, the Lakers faced off against the Portland Trail Blazers. It was a closely contested game, but ultimately the Lakers came out on top with a final score of 102-93.
LeBron James led the way for the Lakers, scoring 28 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out 7 assists. Anthony Davis also had a strong game, recording a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
The Lakers' defense was particularly impressive, holding the Trail Blazers to just 93 points on the night. They also did a good job of limiting Damian Lillard, who scored 24 points but was held to just 7-of-16 shooting from the field.
Overall, it was a solid win for the Lakers and a good bounce-back performance after a tough loss to the Golden State Warriors in their previous game. With James and Davis leading the way, the Lakers will look to continue their winning ways as they head into the second half of the season.
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