LeBron James has embarrassed Father Time over and over again during the last several years, but the 41-year-old defied all logic in Thursday's 134-126 win versus the Miami Heat. Following consecutive victories against the Houston Rockets in the Toyota Center, the Los Angeles Lakers arrived in South Beach at approximately 4 a.m local time. Athletes need their sleep, especially when they have back-to-back games, and especially when they are in their 23rd NBA season.
The all-time great showed no effects of the short turnaround, however. He posted 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting with 15 rebounds and 10 assists, posting the 124th triple-double of his career. Luka Doncic was the man of the night, carving up the Heat for a spectacular 60 points, but James' huge contributions must be highlighted as well. The Slovenian superstar made sure to do just that, showing great appreciation for his teammate.
“Like I said yesterday, you know without him, we wouldn't win,” Doncic told Spectrum SportsNet's Mike Trudell. “So the way he's playing, it's incredible to see and incredible to watch.”
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When the Lakers struggled to maintain momentum from December through February, some people pointed fingers at James. Many NBA fans believe the four-time Finals MVP's defensive limitations will prevent the Lakers from making a deep run in the NBA playoffs. The team is meshing incredibly well right now, however, sitting in third place in the West after winning eight straight games.
Now that Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves are all healthy, LA looks like a genuine championship contender. The eldest member of that trio is indeed a big reason why the Lakers have attained such status in the latter part of the regular season.
James will continue to let Doncic take the lead offensively, but when the opportunity arises, he will do his best to ignite the offense as both a scorer and playmaker. The vibes in Los Angeles are unsurprisingly matching the squad's superb form.
The Purple and Gold (45-25) will continue their six-game road trip when they battle the Orlando Magic (38-31) in the Kia Center this Saturday.
