"Thought Paul George would be playing": Stephen A Smith issues apology to LeBron James following brash Clippers-Lakers take
On Wednesday night, LeBron James and the LA Lakers stormed a huge comeback on the LA Clippers en route to a win. Following this performance, one analyst had no choice but to hop on TV and issue an apology.
Before this game took place, Stephen A. Smith was on "First Take" stating that the Clippers were going to win this game in a blowout. They entered the matchup in fourth place in the Western Conference and have been one of the top teams in basketball. Despite this, things did not got their way in latest battle of LA.
On Thursday's edition of First Take, Stephen A. hopped in front of cameras to issue an apology to LeBron for his comments. He also stated that he was unaware Paul George would not be suiting up in this matchup.
"I don't do this often, but I owe LeBron James an apology," Stephen A. said. "Now, in my defense, I thought Paul George would be playing...On this particular morning, LeBron James was sensational."
As Stephen A. said, LeBron was nothing short of dominant in this upset win over the Clippers. He finished the game with a stat line of 34 points, six rebounds, eight assists and two blocks.
LeBron James took over in fourth quarter against the LA Clippers
Heading into the fourth quarter, the LA Lakers found themselves down 21 to the LA Clippers. Instead of rolling over, LeBron James stepped up in a huge way to lead his team in this comeback.
The Lakers scored 39 points in the fourth quarter, with 19 of them coming from LeBron. He also played a part in the rest of the scoring as he dished four assists. In the final 12 minutes against the Clippers, he had a hand in almost every scoring possesion for the Lakers.
Alonside LeBron, Anthony Davis also turned in an impressive showing in this upset victory. The All-Star big man ended the night with 20 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard led the charge with 26 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
At age 39, LeBron is not as dominant on a nightly basis as he once was. However, performances like this are a testament to how impactful he still can be in year 21. Seeng that the Lakers are looking to make a deep run in the postseason, wins like this against a fellow contender are huge late in the season.
Paul George being out changes things a little, but it does not take away from LeBron's showing in the fourth quarter. He single-handedly mounted a 20-point comeback against their city rival.
Since the All-Star break, LeBron has put together a string of impressive outings. Over his last three games, the 20-time All-Star is averaging 30.7 PPG and 9.7 APG on 61.3% shooting.