Watch: LeBron James goes beast mode with back to back steals and dunks against Brooklyn Nets
LeBron James continued his spell of brilliance as he led the LA Lakers to an impressive 106-96 win over the Brooklyn Nets. The 37-year-old scored 33 points on 66.7% shooting from the field. In a spell during the fourth quarter, the King had two consecutive possessions in which he perfectly anticipated passes from the Nets as he bagged steals and emphatically dunked the ball.
The Lakers were leading 96-85 when LeBron James decided to go into beast mode. By the end of the possession, their lead was extended to 15 points, and from there, the Purple and Gold never looked back.
Coach Frank Vogel heaped praise on the King and acknowledged his brilliance at both ends. Speaking about his two steals in the fourth quarter, LeBron James said in his post-game interview:
"Just kind of channeling my inner Ed Reed at that point of time. Kind of playing the passing lane and seeing the direction of the ball, just trying to be at the right place to protect my teammates while we were in coverage and doing sort of things we were doing defensively."
Back to back steals and dunks by LeBron 👑 https://t.co/a0teVCI7DO
This was the 18th consecutive occasion where James scored 25 points or more. Despite the team's setbacks in the last few games, the King has never failed to deliver. However, with Anthony Davis returning, James will now have the support on both ends, which should help the Lakers salvage their stuttering campaign.
The King's Gambit #LakersWin https://t.co/yWeADLCXuF
LeBron James leads LA Lakers to impressive win over Brooklyn Nets
The LA Lakers came into the game after a disappointing defeat to the Miami Heat. They needed a strong response, and that's what they got, as the team started the game extremely well.
Anthony Davis, who was out of action for 17 games, started at center for the team. His return to the lineup against Brooklyn helped the Lakers massively at the defensive end.
Patience + Vision https://t.co/wP6r73B96u
LeBron James, who has been in red-hot form, was given a major boost with Davis' arrival, as it eased the task for him at both ends of the floor. The 37-year-old had some individual spells of brilliance, which would have got him a lot more cheers and appreciation if the Lakers were playing at home. However, James was focussed on the task at hand, which was grabbing a win for his team.
First play of the game. Great to have you back, @AntDavis23 🙌 https://t.co/dljoittWhw
Malik Monk came off the bench and racked up 22 points. Carmelo Anthony also chipped in with 13 points to make things easy for the Purple and Gold. Overall, the Lakers looked completely solid as they bagged a well-deserved win over the Nets.
The Lakers will next take on the Philadelphia 76ers, which could be another tough game for them, considering Joel Embiid's stellar form. However, with Davis back, the team looks rejuvenated, and are all set to get their campaign back on track.