The Los Angeles Lakers were vulnerable when they faced the Oklahoma City Thunder without big man Anthony Davis on Monday night. However, Lakers star LeBron James still managed to receive help from his teammates in a 119-112 overtime victory, especially veteran Wesley Matthews.
James gave praise to Matthews for being a “true professional” despite not getting regular minutes i the team's rotation of late:
LeBron James calls Wes Matthews a "true professional" for his patience and ability to "stay ready" for when his name would be called.
— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) February 9, 2021
The 34-year-old veteran made a clutch 3-pointer in regular as the Lakers made a late comeback, and then he buried a dagger triple in overtime off a pass from LeBron. Matthews had his own praise for James:
Wesley Matthews, who was huge in his first action since Jan. 28, hit the clutch corner 3 off a typical LeBron pass. His summary of playing with LeBron: "He’s an engine …. it’s amazing what he can do and how he can control a game."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) February 9, 2021
Matthews then credited the rest of the coaching staff for always giving him support and encouragement:
"I credit my coaching staff for the communication and the consistent encouragement." Wesley Matthews talks post-game with @LakersReporter after finishing 4-5 from three with 16 PTS. pic.twitter.com/mtammqU8iQ
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) February 9, 2021
The veteran swingman had dropped out of the rotation the last few games, not seeing the floor since Jan. 28 prior to Monday night. However, he showed that he can still be a valuable player for the Lakers after successfully making an impact against OKC.
Without Davis, who is nursing his Achilles injury, the Lakers were threatened by a resilient Thunder squad in a back-and-forth encounter. It even looked like OKC was going to pull out the win at one point late in the fourth quarter. The defending champs needed Matthews' contributions in a big way, and he delivered with 16 points on 4-of-5 shots from beyond the arc in 26 minutes.
LeBron was his usual self with a triple-double performance of 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists. The Lakers star played big minutes in each of the last two games, showing why he's so important.
With the narrow victory, the Lakers improved to 19-6 for the second spot in the Western Conference. After seeing how the game transpired, LeBron James will certainly need more production from his supporting cast when they host the Thunder for the second straight contest on Feb. 10.
Follow Us
Subscribe