LeBron James’ tap in at the buzzer
INDIANAPOLIS — All it took was 70 seconds to lose focus, to stop playing with the right intention, the right mindset, the right spirit.
All it took was 70 seconds for the Lakers to see a six-point lead turn all the way to a one-point deficit, a stretch coming in the final moments of the fourth quarter that it seemed likely, if not certain, that they’d lose for the fourth consecutive time.
Yet all it took was one-tenth of one second, a blink, for LeBron James to tip in a missed Luka Doncic floater to give the Lakers a dramatic 120-119 win against the Pacers.
James struggled to score, failing to make a field goal in the through three quarters for the first time in his career, not counting a game in which he didn’t play the entire second half because of an injury.
Early in the fourth quarter, James got hot and extended his streak of games with at least 10 points to 1,283 games thanks to quick work in transition and some deft shot-making, but it was far from his night.
He had help, Doncic and Austin Reaves each carrying the offense for long stretches until James got right. Late in the game, both Doncic and Reaves struggled as the Pacers pushed — Reaves missing a pair of open threes and committing a key turnover and Doncic getting attacked on three consecutive possessions to turn into those seven huge Pacers points and a one-point lead.
But the Lakers got the stop they needed and gave themselves a chance, creating a great look for Doncic’s potential first game-winner as a Laker. The ball bounced softly off the rim only for James to finish the play just as the horn sounded.
After a video review, the basket was confirmed, the Lakers’ three-game losing streak over.
The Lakers’ recent struggles have been significant enough that the team took what’s become a seemingly drastic step — holding a pregame shoot-around. It’s something the Lakers haven’t done in an official sense since Jan. 30 in Washington.
“First time in a long time we’ve been on the court together, so it was great, coach JJ Redick said before the game. “Cleaned up some stuff offensively. Got our defensive breakdowns in, got some offensive breakdowns in, did some script. It was wonderful.
“Spent yesterday talking about our [switching] offense. We, it’s funny, we put together an edit. Had a couple [after timeout] stuff. We wanted to clean up and put together an edit of 11 plays of our [switching] attacks. And if you just watch those plays, you’re like, ‘Oh man, they’re really good. That’s good basketball.’ Unfortunately it was the only 11 plays from the Orlando game, so. … We’ll be better.”
For each of the first 1,552 games of his legendary NBA career, he’d accomplished the relatively mundane task of making at least one field goal by the time three quarters had elapsed, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
But on Wednesday night in Indiana, the Lakers superstar didn’t have a single shot drop from the floor through three quarters.
It’s amazing to think there’s something King James had never done, but of course, he’d never done it because he was always exceeding the mark rather than falling short.
James’ streak of games with at least 10 points looked in slight jeopardy, too, but he rattled off eight quick points in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter to get to double digits. It’s now been 1,283 games in a row with at least 10 for LeBron.
This is certainly the most likely setup for James to miss out on such marks. He’s now 40 years old and playing with another ball dominant superstar in Luka Doncic.
LeBron James Reveals Keys to Rest of Lakers Season
LeBron James truly told all during his appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Monday, one of them being the keys toward the rest of the Lakers season. The purple and gold enter a prime time matchup with the Pacers at fifth in the West with a 43-28 record.
LeBron James Reveals Keys to Rest of Lakers Season
James: Health and Chemistry are Priorities
James touched on the rest of the Lakers’ season toward the end of the episode, discussing the main priorities with the regular season winding down.
“Obviously, it goes without saying for any team, but health,” James said. “That’s the most important for our team. We are not in a position where we can afford anybody to go down.”
The Lakers just wrapped up a brutal stretch of six games in eight nights, which they went 3-3 in. They played three consecutive back-to-backs, two of which came against the Nuggets and Bucks. At one point, the Lakers barely had enough bodies for a ten-man rotation, forcing two-way contract players to step up off the bench. The team has much-needed reinforcements with James and Rui Hachimura back, but now, it will be up to everyone to remain healthy and return to high-level basketball that got them to no. 2 in the West.
LeBron also acknowledged how he, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves must be “clicking at the same time,” even if the shots aren’t falling.
“When I say clicking, we have to be in tune on what we gotta do every single night,” he said, “because we gotta make sure everybody is in the right place every single game.”
That chemistry not only extends to the Lakers’ top three players, but everyone down the line.
“We have to make sure we have everybody in tune because we know our coaching staff is gonna give us the game plan,” James added. “JJ [Redick] is not gonna send us out there on a wild goose chase. … He and his coaching staff, they’re gonna make sure we know what the hell to do in order to get the job done and then it’s up to us to go out there and get it done.”
Additional Lakers to Watch
There’s no doubt James, Doncic and Reaves hold several keys toward the team’s home stretch, but a couple other players will be pivotal in the team’s future success.
Given the Lakers’ injury history, Dorian Finney-Smith’s versatility is vital going forward. DFS is coming off of his 17th start as a Laker, where he tallied 14 points with four three-pointers against the Magic. His ability to jolt the team’s offense while picking up opposing wings (and, on occasion, bigs) will be key for a team struggling to get back into a rhythm at full strength. Even in his first couple of months, DFS has fit right into the team’s system, and his chemistry with Doncic will only enhance his contributions to LA.
The Lakers will also need Hachimura to be productive post-injury. After missing 12 games due to patellar tendinopathy, he hasn’t looked the same so far—Hachimura even noted that his knee was “70 to 80%” healthy upon his return. The 27-year-old three-level scorer has logged just five and three points in his last two games, shooting 4/10 from the field and 1/6 from three. He is starting Wednesday’s game against Indiana, with the perfect opportunity to find his groove again and return to early-season form.
Upcoming Schedule Holds Crucial Matchups
The race to the postseason intensifies by the day, and the Lakers have several must-win games against Western Conference opponents. After a Thursday duel at Chicago, their remaining foes reside in their own conference. Among the biggest games to watch are versus the Grizzlies (Mar. 29, 4th in the West), Rockets (Mar. 31 & Apr. 11, 2nd in the West), Warriors (Apr. 3, 6th in the West) and Thunder (Apr. 6 & 7, 1st in the West). Memphis is currently half a game ahead of the Lakers, while the Warriors are 2.5 games behind LA in an ever-changing conference. Houston, a team that’s catapulted into a top-three seed, is currently three games ahead of the Lakers.
Though Redick and the Lakers don’t appear concerned with seeding, their upcoming games will be the difference between starting the playoffs at home or on the road. But as with everything toward the end of the regular season, anything can happen in the Association.
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