"It was big-time; I’ve seen the replay over and over" - LeBron James marvels at Russell Westbrook's athletic dunk over 3-time DPOY Rudy Gobert
LeBron James shared his amazement over Russell Westbrook's incredible dunk against the Utah Jazz on Monday. The dunk in question occurred in the second quarter, when with a little over two minutes remaining on the clock, Westbrook drove to the rim with incredible explosiveness.
He took the ball straight to the rim, unfazed by Utah's Rudy Gobert standing in his way, and dunked the ball, winning a free throw as well. The move was all the more special because Gobert is a good ten inches taller than Russell Westbrook and one of the best shot blockers in the league.
With the dunk, the LA Lakers were able to push the score to 50-40 and open a 10-point lead.
Speaking to the press during the post-game interview, LeBron James couldn't help but talk about the move that stood out from the rest of the game. Kyle Goon, a Lakers beat reporter, shared James' comments about Westbrook in his tweet. The LA Lakers star reportedly said:
"He wasn’t going in for a lay-up, or going in for a floater or going for anything else except attacking the shotblocker. That was electrifying. It was big-time. I’ve seen the replay over and over. It was a phenomenal play."
LeBron on the Russ dunk: "He wasn’t going in for a lay-up, or going in for a floater or going for anything else except attacking the shotblocker. That was electrifying. It was big-time. I’ve seen the replay over and over. It was a phenomenal play."
LeBron James and Russell Westbrook lead the LA Lakers to their 22nd win
The Lakers have struggled the entire season in registering more than 50% wins. At times injuries have haunted the team, and other times their lack of defensive effort has made them lose winnable games. In fact, their 22nd win could very well have been their 23rd loss if not for Stanley Johnson's late-game scoring spree.
That's one for the career highlight tape! 🤯
#RussellWestbrook x #NBAAllStar https://t.co/VG70AnpEm2
Johnson, who scored 10 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter, reversed the 32-point damage Utah scorers had caused in the third to give his side a 101-95 win.
LeBron James, who scored a game-high 25 points, also recorded seven assists, seven rebounds and three shots from downtown. The 37-year-old superstar continued his abysmal shooting from the free throw line, however, and made only four of his eight attempts.
Meanwhile, Russell Westbrook registered 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists. He had the second worst field goal efficiency amongst his team's players. Westbrook made just five of his 14 field goal attempts and shot a mere 25% from beyond the arc.
In Anthony Davis' absence, the Lakers squad had a clear height disadvantage when confronted by Gobert. However, the team still managed to out score the Jazz in the paint. Their 44 points in the paint compared to Utah's 36 is a clear indication of the squad's lethality inside.
Hopefully, with a tighter defense and slightly better perimeter shooting, the LA Lakers can improve their 22-22 record. They host the Indiana Pacers next on January 19.