Coming into Toronto on Friday, the Lakers desperately needed a win to get back on track. After four quarters and overtime, the Lakers delivered that win, stopping the bleeding of what has been an abysmal season so far.
The hero of the game was Russell Westbrook, who dropped a triple-double after knocking a game-tying three in the fourth quarter.
After the final buzzer, LeBron James spoke about the win and lifted up Westbrook for his inspiring performance.
(via Spectrum SportsNet)
“We followed the instructions from our coaching staff, we said if we could get him on the sideline, we wanna try to trap them first, see if we could force a turnover,” said LeBron. “We were able to trap Precious over there on the sidelines, Russ got the steal and went down. Stepped on the line and then had the mind frame to put his foot back behind the line and knock that thing down with .4. It was big-time from him.”
James also addressed the season as a whole, and his mindset at this point with his team being well below .500.
“Try to do whatever it takes. I’m just having a lot of fun playing the game. It’s not always about the wins and losses for me, it’s about the joy. I know the season hasn’t gone the way we would like it to go but I’m having a blast just playing this game and being out here in front of some of the best fans in the NBA.”
Morale in L.A. has been described as low, and it’s clear to see why. The Lakes had title aspirations in October, and they have fallen short in almost every conceivable way.
Still, there are glimpses of greatness here and there. Tonight was one of those nights, and Saturday will likely be another when James surpasses Karl Malone on the NBA’s All-Time scoring list.
“Anytime I’m linked with the greats it’s very humbling,” James said. “It doesn’t make sense to me. From where I come from and watching this league and watching this NBA logo and so many great players to play this game, to hear my name ranked up there with the best, it’s a true honor for me and for my hometown of Akron, Ohio.”
.@KingJames talks with @LakersReporter about Russ' three that forced OT and showing out in front of his good friend @Drake in Toronto. pic.twitter.com/2tfNudaDrO
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 19, 2022
The Lakers finished with a 128-123 win over the Raptors, but they won’t have much time to savor their victory.
Tomorrow, the Lakers will have to suit up again for a game against the Wizards, who are 29-40 on the season. While the Purple and Gold have a 10-23 record on the road, they are showing signs of life for the first time in a while.
This could be the point where things start to change for the better.
