"Westbrick saves LeBrick" - Skip Bayless continues playing spoilsport for LeBron James after Russell Westbrook's clutch free throws as LA Lakers mount comeback vs Utah Jazz

The LA Lakers' superstar duo played starring roles in rallying their team past the Utah Jazz [Photo: Sky Sports]

LeBron James put in a masterful performance as he carried the LA Lakers to a win over the streaking Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

The Lakers were distraught and looked deflated after Anthony Davis’ gruesome ankle injury with three minutes left in the second quarter. However, as he has done so many times this season, James simply refused to give up and dragged his team to an exciting win.

Despite the four-time MVP’s brilliance and clutch performance, Skip Bayless remained unimpressed. The veteran sports show anchor criticized the LA Lakers’ franchise player for passing on another opportunity to seal the game from the free-throw line.

Instead of James shooting the pressure-packed shots, it was Russell Westbrook who ended up nailing the shots on Utah’s coffin.

Minutes after the game ended, Skip Bayless lambasted LeBron James yet again:

“YEP: LEBRON ONCE AGAIN RUNS FROM THE LATE GAME FREE-THROW LINE … RUSS WINDS UP WITH THE BALL … AND MAKES TWO CLINCHING FREE THROWS. INCREDIBLE: WESTBRICK SAVES LEBRICK.”

YEP: LEBRON ONCE AGAIN RUNS FROM THE LATE-GAME FREE-THROW LINE ... RUSS WINDS UP WITH THE BALL ... AND MAKES THE TWO CLINCHING FREE THROWS. INCREDIBLE: WESTBRICK SAVES LEBRICK.

Skip Bayless was referring to a play that took place with 13 seconds left in the game. The LA Lakers were leading 103-101 following a Bogdan Bogdanovic window shot. Head coach Frank Vogel designed a play for Malik Monk to get the inbounds pass after receiving a massive screen from LeBron James. Utah countered by trapping the young shooting guard, who eventually gave the ball up to Russell Westbrook.

Westbrook, who was the worst free-throw shooter in the Lakers’ closing lineup, stepped up big and sunk the game-sealing shots. Considering Austin Reaves had just hit a big shot and was a better free-throw shooter, it is unclear why the play was designed for Monk.

Conspicuously, until that point, it was LeBron James who handled the ball for the majority of the fourth quarter. Perhaps like the millions watching, Bayless was anticipating that James, who just torched the Jazz for 15 fourth-quarter points, would have the chance to clinch the game.

The Undisputed co-host has been harping on about LeBron James' supposed cowardice in taking money shots from the free-throw line for years. His opinion got even more juice following King James' crucial game-ending miss in the LA Lakers' loss to the Golden State Warriors.

LEBRON JAMES, WORST SUPERSTAR LATE-GAME FREE-THROW SHOOTER EVER. Faced his worst nightmare: having to make THREE free throws to force overtime. Predictably he LeBricked the first. He almost always runs from late-game FT line. Bad call on Steph stuck him where he's most clutchless

Regardless of what the Fox Sports analyst called that sequence, LeBron James’ performance on Wednesday was a masterclass.

The Lakers would not have even been in the position to win the game had it not been for the four-time champion’s spectacular fourth-quarter heroics. Expect more of the same from the 37-year-old superstar after Davis’ nasty ankle sprain.

LeBron James tonight:

33 points (15 in the 4th)
8 rebounds
6 assists
2 steals
61% FG

😤😤😤 https://t.co/5dkmMAEuBB

LeBron James and the LA Lakers are undefeated against the Utah Jazz this season

For the second game of the season series, the LA Lakers mounted a big last-quarter rally to upend the Utah Jazz. In both of the Lakers’ wins, LeBron James played a starring role in successfully finishing their furious comeback.

James masterminded the LA Lakers' comeback win against the Utah Jazz in their first meeting. He finished with 25 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block. LA outscored Utah by 11 points in James’ game-high 37 minutes.

That's the way to head into the All-Star Break.

@KingJames: 33 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast
@russwest44: 17 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast https://t.co/CYuD8lVl3o

Stanley Johnson also scored crucial baskets, netting 10 of his 15 points in the final quarter to spark the LA Lakers’ big rally towards the end of the game.

In both wins, the fourth canto was the biggest difference. And on both occasions, James’ fingerprints were all over the LA’s win.