"He's been making the right play his whole career" - Darvin Ham applauds LeBron James after a monster performance in Game 4
Darvin Ham heaped praise on LeBron James after his solid two-way performance in the LA Lakers' 117-111 OT win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 4. James was all over the court during this contest to ensure the Lakers took a commanding 3-1 series lead and successfully protected home court.
He drew a couple of charges against Ja Morant during the game and had a career-high 20 rebounds. Ham reflected on James' hustle plays, saying (via Lakers Nation):
"He's been making the right play his whole career... That's just him doing whatever it takes to put us in a position to succeed."
Darvin Ham on LeBron taking two charges:
"He's been making the right play his whole career... That's just him doing whatever it takes to put us in a position to succeed."
LeBron James had a rough night offensively for most of the game, but he ensured to give his 100% on defense. That was crucial down the stretch, as the Grizzlies were in the lead for most of the fourth quarter.
However, he found his rhythm offensively late. LeBron came into his own in the clutch and made the game-tying bucket with 0.8 seconds left, which forced overtime. James then sealed the Lakers' win in OT, extending the Lakers' three-point advantage with 29.4 seconds left to five with an and-1 layup.
The game went out of the Grizzlies' reach at that stage. James finished with 22 points, 20 rebounds and seven assists, shooting 44.7%.
LeBron James remains the focal point of the LA Lakers
Playing at 38 years of age with another superstar, Anthony Davis, who is in the prime of his career, should ideally slot LeBron James into a second-fiddle role permanently. However, that isn't the case. James continues to be the focal point of the LA Lakers system on both ends.
Game 4 was a testament to that. The playoffs needed big-time performances from big-time players, and that's what James did on both ends of the floor. The four-time MVP guarded Jaren Jackson Jr. for most of the fourth quarter and in the clutch. He also attacked the DPOY on offense with his drives, collapsing the Grizzlies' defense and finding the open man out on the perimeter.
Don’t take LeBron James for granted.
22 points
20 rebounds (5 offensive)
7 assists (1 turnover)
2 blocks
2 charges taken
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James also scored at crucial junctures, which was much-needed with Anthony Davis misfiring. AD scored his 10th point of the game at the start of overtime when he drained one of his two free throw attempts. He scored 12 on the night with 4-of-12 shooting.
That required LeBron James to bail the LA Lakers out in crunch time. He remains a difference-maker whether he leads the team in scoring or not. The Lakers will hope he continues this run throughout the playoffs and hopefully lead them to a title win.