By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Getting the job (almost) done with the 117-111 home victory in Game 4 against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Los Angeles Lakers are now 3-1 up in the First Round NBA Playoffs series, mainly thanks to yet again another historic performance by LeBron James.
The 38-year-old superstar became the oldest player to register at least 20 points and 20 rebounds in a playoff game, while also adding 7 assists and 2 blocks, shooting 8/18 from the field and 5/7 at the line.
In the post-game press conference, the legendary forward analyzed the game and what the Lakers will have to expect in the following ones. “You have to be able to adjust to the way the game is being played. The game to close the series is the most tiring and brutal one, we have to be ready for it and I think we will be ready for it”, he said about potentially closing the First Round series in Game 5 in Memphis.
Taking care of business late in the game with decisive plays against the Grizzlies, LeBron James commented on his performance. “That’s always been me. Whatever it takes for the team to be successful, I just try to be as great as I can offensively, but also on the defensive end. That was the mindset tonight and I was able to make a couple of plays to help us be successful. My teammates told me I had 20 and 20. It’s the first time I’ve done it in my career, so that’s pretty cool, I guess”, he added.
“We’ve got a lot of young guys, I understand that. It’s my job to make sure they understand that one game is not going to define the whole series, but we have to be better. I want everybody to be comfortable and play freely on the floor”, he went on to say about his teammates.
With a tough play with 29.4 seconds to play in OT, LeBron James put the Lakers up by 5 points. “At the end of the day, we got some good stops in the overtime which we needed. I wanted to try to take as much time and get a good shot, the best one that we could get to not allow them to go in transition. I was able to drive to the left, Brooks grabbed my arm and I was able to get it off the glass over Jaren Jackson. Big play for us”, LeBron James commented on his decisive play to get the job done.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images