“Incredible for him to play at such a high level” – Frank Vogel all praise for LeBron James’ 33 points, 65.0% shooting in LA Lakers' easy win over Oklahoma City Thunder
Frank Vogel, yet again, had LeBron James to thank as the LA Lakers recorded an easy victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. 24 hours after the Lakers put up a lackluster performance in a 95-108 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, LeBron sparked the Lakers to their 14th win of the season with a super-efficient 33-point game, where he shot 13-of-20 (65.0%) from the floor and went four-of-six (66.7%) from behind the three-point arc. LeBron also had five rebounds, six assists, three steals and two blocks in the game, which the Lakers won 116-95.
33 points in 35 minutes. https://t.co/xjatvKn6fw
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel had nothing but admiration for his 36-year-old superstar after the game. Vogel said about LeBron:
“He was unbelievable tonight. I shouldn’t say it surprises me. It's just incredible for him to play at such a high level, to perform the way he did tonight. Not only with his shot-making, but his play-making, his will to take a tough loss last night and say ‘that's not going to happen again.’”
"He was unbelievable tonight... It's just incredible for him to play at such a high level... to take a tough loss last night, and say 'that's not going to happen again,'" Frank Vogel, to @LakersReporter, on LeBron.
Vogel added:
“The two losses we had against OKC [on October 27, November 4], where we built big leads and let them get back in it, he wasn’t going to let that happen again tonight. So, just a great performance by ’Bron tonight.”
"We're continuing to grow and gel as a team." Frank Vogel on the #Lakers responding to last night's loss and his key takeaways from the win. https://t.co/yrDkmSG9p2
Lakers’ Avery Bradley praises LeBron too
LeBron’s clinical performance in the win against OKC was complemented by fellow teammate Avery Bradley. The Lakers’ guard had 22 points and was six-of-eight from downtown, both season-highs for Bradley. He also played some terrific defense on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, limiting the OKC guard to just 11 points in the contest.
Handled business on both sides of the floor. #LakersWin https://t.co/ewqIe38dUG
But even Bradley was most adulatory of LeBron following the win. Bradley said of LeBron, who did not allow OKC back into the game thanks to his stellar all-round showing:
“That's what stars do. They control the game and that's what he was able to do tonight.”
Avery Bradley on LeBron’s night:
"That's what stars do. They control the game and that's what he was able to do tonight."
LeBron and the Lakers will now return to their home court to host the Orlando Magic on December 12. They then begin a three-game road trip with visits to Dallas, Minnesota and Chicago. LeBron, who is playing his 19th year in the NBA, leads the Lakers in both the scoring (26.0 ppg) and minutes (36.7) averages this season.