“Tonight was one of the best 48-minute games that we’ve had so far” – LeBron James claims LA Lakers have found their groove after torrid start to season
LeBron James and the LA Lakers got their revenge victory against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday (December 7) night.
After losing to the Celtics by 22 points (108-130) on November 19, the star-studded trio of LeBron, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook combined for 71 points as the Lakers won 117-102. James led the way with 30 points, while both Davis (17 points, 16 rebounds) and Westbrook (24 points, 11 assists) tallied double-doubles in a game that was never really close.
Lakers-Celtics: Episode 370 https://t.co/FV0oEl8SmN
LeBron James was delighted with the Lakers’ win. Speaking after the game, the 36-year-old said this was one of the best wins his side have had all season.
“We got a lot of good moments tonight. We want to continue to build off of that. There are some things that we can clean up, but tonight was one of the best 48-minute games that we’ve had so far. We want to just continue with that going into Memphis.”
"Tonight was one of the best 48 minute games that we've had so far."
@KingJames spoke with @ALaForce after the Lakers' win. https://t.co/VZZOTF5dp2
The Lakers dominated the Celtics in the paint on Tuesday, outscoring their opponents 66-42 in the game. When asked about the reason for their success in that area, LeBron James credited the Lakers’ defense. He said:
“Well, it starts on the defensive end. Besides the quick start from JT [Jayson Tatum], when he had 14 straight, we did a hell of a job of keeping guys in front of us. When guys were big, we did a great job of showing other bodies. And when we get stops, we are one of the best teams in the league in transition.”
James added:
“That comes from a lot of paint points in transition. We defend at a high level, we know we are capable of like we did tonight, then we are going to give ourselves a good chance to win every night.”
LeBron James hopes the Lakers can continue winning form for “foreseeable future”
LeBron James has missed 12 out of the Lakers’ 25 contests this season. The Los Angeles side are 5-7 without their 17-time All-Star and 8-5 when James is available to the team.
Injuries, a one-game suspension, and a false COVID-19 positive test result have all played their part in LeBron James missing games this season. But the superstar sounded optimistic about the Lakers’ chances for the upcoming regular season schedule after their victory against the Boston Celtics.
James said:
“When I’m on the floor, I just try to make things happen for my teammates. It’s been unfortunate that I haven’t been able to be on the floor as much as I would like to start the season. It felt really good tonight. My teammates picked me up. I tried to pick them up and hopefully we can continue that for the foreseeable future.”
Can't catch the King 👑 https://t.co/uzSCEhCTSV
LeBron James and the LA Lakers will take on the Memphis Grizzlies in their next game on Thursday (December 9) night.