Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was a vital contributor to the team’s 116-114 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. Although James’ efforts saw the team through to the victory, the superstar was also equally responsible for almost losing the game.
At a crucial juncture in the fourth quarter, the Lakers won a free throw and possession off a technical foul called on Dillon Brooks. With the opportunity to tie the game, LeBron James stepped up to the line and missed. When asked about his decision to attempt the shot, James responded:
“Sh*t, I just walked up to the free-throw line. I mean, why wouldn’t I? I would have been okay with Luka taking it, too. We’ve both been in pressure situations. Unfortunately, I missed it, but I made up for it.”
LeBron James’ comment demonstrates the utter confidence the forward has in himself, even at this stage in his career. Although he admits that Luka Doncic could have also taken the shot, given the circumstances, especially after the back-and-forth with Dillon Brooks, it seemed necessary for James to be in that position.
While James’ stance seems justified, Lakers head coach JJ Redick had an opposing take on the matter. During his post-game media availability, Redick shared:
“So guys were out on the court. Luka and I talked. I thought Luka was going to shoot it. I walked back. LeBron was at the free-throw line. He shot it. I don’t know what the dialogue on the court was.”
“We did this some point last year,” he continued. “Early in the season, we kind of designated who’s going to shoot the technicals, and every team is different. Sometimes it’s superstars, sometimes it’s the best free-throw shooters, sometimes it’s a guy that maybe needs to see the ball go in the basket. Like, it’s all situational. But Luka should have shot that.”
Redick’s statement stands in stark contrast with LeBron James’ comments on the matter. When considering that James was 7-of-10 from the free-throw line at the time, he didn’t seem to be as reliable as Doncic, who went 13-of-14 from the line for the game.
Thus, with James eventually coming up short, the Lakers found themselves in a significantly more vulnerable position. But as the superstar mentioned, he also made up for it.
In what would become the Lakers’ final offensive possession, LeBron James received a pass from Luka Doncic at the top of the key to put up the game-winning shot.
Although he missed on this attempt, James was fouled by Devin Booker in the process, earning him three more free throws. After missing his first, the 40-year-old went on to knock down the remaining two, securing a one-point lead for the Lakers and stealing the momentum back from Phoenix.
For all intents and purposes, L.A.’s win on Sunday night was a scrappy one. Despite the late-game struggles, the Purple and Gold managed to come out on top. While there will be reason to celebrate improving to 18-7 on the season, LeBron James and the Lakers would benefit from acknowledging their mistakes and addressing them moving forward.
