LeBron James can still dominate a playoff game at the age of 41. The Lakers defeated the Rockets 101-94 on Tuesday night, taking a 2-0 series lead thanks to James’ 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
With their two top scorers out with injuries, the Lakers needed LeBron to have a big game. Both Austin Reaves (left oblique strain) and Luka Dončić (left hamstring strain) haven’t played since April 2. Reaves has already returned to the court and may make a comeback at some time during this series.
James has made every effort to keep the Lakers afloat long enough for Dončić and Reaves to return to the court. He recorded 19 points and 13 assists in Los Angeles’s Game 1 victory, his most assists in a playoff game since 2020, in addition to his all-around performance on Tuesday.
In the first two games of the series, LeBron has been the star, but his teammates have also contributed to make up for Dončić and Reaves’ absences. In Game 1, the nine-year veteran scored a career-high 27 points in the playoffs, and in Game 2, he scored 23. During the regular season, he only scored 20 points once, on January 11 while he was still a member of the Hawks.
