The Los Angeles Lakers got their first win of the season by beating the Phoenix Suns 95-100 in the first game between LeBron James and Kevin Durant since December 2018. The Lakers’ win was cemented when James got six straight points late in the fourth to complete the Lakers’ comeback from down 12 points.
Fans went insane as Bron showed up in the clutch after a tough offensive night.
Home Court 💜 pic.twitter.com/ClhY0uMhJU
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 27, 2023
Fans were happy to see LeBron beat allegations of being washed after a tough first three quarters.
LeBron James will never be washed
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 27, 2023
Kevin Durant put on a classic 39-point performance, so it was fitting that both the legends were appreciated for their performances tonight.
LeBron and KD still here hooping like this man, cherish these moments. pic.twitter.com/WhoU5BQbxz
— Hoops (@HoopMixOnly) October 27, 2023
Fans couldn’t believe how impactful LeBron is even in Year 21.
LeBron James, season 21 & still HIM👑 #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/YlU3ZFyAdy
— BIG FAZO🛡️ (@___fazo) October 27, 2023
Fans were bringing up GOAT talks after James’ continued excellence.
LEBRON JAMES GREATEST PLAYER OF ALL MOTHAF*CKING TIME!!!!!!! 🗣️🗣️🗣️
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) October 27, 2023
Fans were calling for more appreciation of LeBron’s greatness.
LeBron is 38 years old having casual 21/8/9 nights while being +21 on the court
Appreciate greatness 🐐
— Championship Connoisseur (@UMvsEveryone) October 27, 2023
Lakers fans are all clamoring for ‘Bron after he delivered the game-winning moment.
Lakers fans watching LeBron James in year 21 👑 pic.twitter.com/8o6qDW884X
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) October 27, 2023
The workload James carried to deliver this win was also appreciated by fans.
Lebron James in year 21 on a minutes restriction really played the whole 4th qtr to get his team the dub with all due respect.
Greatest ever.
— Mark Jackson’s Burner (@casualtakeking) October 27, 2023
With the game tied at 87 points, James continued his solid fourth-quarter form to nail a layup that filled the Lakers with momentum.
LEBRON SWEET MOVE 🔥 https://t.co/CX4WUwkplJ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 27, 2023
The clinching bucket came with less than a minute left as the Lakers held a slender two-point lead. A familiar sight of LeBron driving to the rim led to the bucket that put the game out of reach for the Suns.
LEBRON JAMES. YEAR 21.
GET TO TNT FOR THE END! pic.twitter.com/DQnxUMdxcU
— NBA (@NBA) October 27, 2023
James ended the night with 21 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. He scored 10 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers outscored the Suns 28-11. Anthony Davis had a solid outing too, with 30 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, three steals, and three blocks.
Kevin Durant gave it his all and notched 39 points and 11 rebounds, but he couldn’t;t carry the team alone without Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on the court.
The Lakers Leaned On Defense to Pull This Out
This was a pretty rough game for the Lakers offensively, falling to a 12-point deficit by the time the fourth quarter started. With shooters like Gabe Vincent, D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Taurean Prince, along with LeBron, missing a lot of shots, the Lakers decided to use their defensive strength in the fourth quarter.
The Suns had only scored one basket till the 2:30 mark in the fourth quarter, committing nine turnovers in that time. That time was plenty for a wooden Lakers offense to claw their way back into the game, with LeBron putting the finishing touches with some very important buckets.
Kevin Durant was the only Suns player that seemed to have a positive impact offensively, with everyone else crumbling in the fourth quarter. Even Durant had a very poor fourth given how he had been playing the entire game. The lack of a proper guard on the Suns roster was sorely felt, as the team couldn’t create anything with Booker and Beal on the sidelines.
Anthony Davis will be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year if he can continue marshaling the Lakers’ defense the way he did today. Being outplayed by Nikola Jokic isn’t something to be ashamed of, but he will need to do a better job on that front later. For now, the Lakers have arguably the best defensive big man in the league and it was made clear today.
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