LeBron James flexes on IG with epic Lakers squad snap after crushing Pacers in inaugural NBA Cup: "4 my dogs"
History was made as LeBron James and the LA Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers to come out on top of the NBA's first-ever In-Season Tournament. The Lakers dominated their competition as they went 4-0 in their group to advance to the knockout stages.
They had a tough battle in the quarterfinals against the Phoenix Suns, and the game ended with some controversy, but they still prevailed 106-103. That matchup would end up being the toughest for them in the tournament, as the Lakers would dominate in the next two rounds.
In the semifinals, they would dominate the New Orleans Pelicans to secure a spot in the Finals under the leadership of LeBron James, who scored 30 points and dished eight assists.
LA faced a young and motivated Indiana Pacers squad in the tournament's finals. Still, the Lakers prevailed as they routed their competition 123-109, with Anthony Davis taking charge with 41 points and 20 rebounds.
It was clear that the Lakers were the most dominant team during the In-Season Tournament under the leadership of James and AD. However, the contributions of everyone else cannot be understated as the team could not have won without a total group effort.
As a part of the celebration and a way to recognize his teammates, James shared a photo of the Lakers' squad on his Instagram Stories. The image is of the team gathered on the court with the trophy. James also added the phrase "4 my dogs!!" to it.
Also read: LeBron James shows off $1,000,000 Louis Vuitton speedy bag as he makes stylish statement on NBA Cup Final red carpet.
Looking at LeBron James' and the Lakers' stats in the In-Season Tournament Final
Anthony Davis led the way for the LA Lakers as they destroyed the Indiana Pacers in the Final of the inaugural In-Season Tournament. Aside from his strong 40-20 performance, he also blocked four shots in the game.
Austin Reaves was also electrifying as he came off the bench to score 28 points, 22 of which came in the first half, while he was feeling under the weather. His performance while dealing with an illness drew a lot of jokes, all of which compared him to Michael Jordan's famous flu game.
Another huge proponent for their win was James, who finished the night with a well-rounded 24 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals. The soon-to-be 39-year-old superstar logged heavy minutes as he played for almost 35 minutes.
Also read: "It's up for debate": LeBron James tosses flu game verdict in the air as he celebrates Austin Reaves' 28-point night.