"$500,000 on the line": LeBron James quips about winning NBA In-Season Tournament as goal for LA Lakers

LeBron James and the LA Lakers finally got their first road win of the season on Friday when they beat the Phoenix Suns on Friday. The Lakers also won their first NBA In-Season Tournament game. James even quipped about possibly going after the NBA Cup and the money incentive for the champions.

After the Lakers' 122-119 win over the Suns, James talked about the importance of Friday's win. He was happy about the Lakers' rebounding, as well as Cam Reddish and Austin Reaves, who thrived in their new roles.

He was then asked about the In-Season Tournament, and "The King" seemed excited about it.

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"It feels great because it's an In-Season Tournament win," James said. "We'll take that. We'll take that for sure. I heard there's $500,000 on the line, so we're going for that. We're going for that."

According to NBA.com, the winners of the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament will lift the NBA Cup. Any player and coach who makes it to the knockouts will receive bonuses, while the runner-ups receive $200,000 each. The champions will reportedly get $500,000 each.

LeBron James had all the adrenaline following the LA Lakers' win on Friday night. He suffered a minor knee injury in the first quarter after bumping knees with Kevin Durant. He returned in the second quarter and was able to finish the game.

"The King" led the Lakers to victory with 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Cam Reddish, who started in place of Austin Reaves, finished with 17 points, three steals and five 3-point shots made. Reaves came off the bench to contribute 15 points and seven assists.

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NBA In-Season tournament schedule for LeBron James and the LA Lakers

The LA Lakers are in Group A West of the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament. They are joined in the group by the Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz. It's a relatively easy group for the Lakers to play in, as the Blazers, Grizzlies and Jazz are all struggling teams.

LeBron James and Co. play their next In-Season Tournament game on Tuesday against the Grizzlies. They then visit the Blazers at the Moda Center on Friday before ending the group stage at home against the Jazz.

If the Lakers finish with the best record and point differential, they will advance to the knockouts.

They will face the fourth-best team before moving to the semifinals, which counts as a regular season game. The only In-Season Tournament game that won't be considered part of the regular season is the cup final.

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