With the Los Angeles Lakers opening their playoff series on the road, LeBron James put together a complete, veteran performance to guide his team to a 107-98 Game 1 win over the Houston Rockets.
This wasn’t just a scoring night. This was total control.
“For me, I got to do a little bit of everything,” James said. “It’s what the job requires. So being a triple threat, being able to rebound, being able to pass, being able to shoot and also defend and put myself in position where I can bring value to this ballclub, bring value to this team throughout this series.”
James came out focused on getting everyone involved, carving up Houston’s defence and dictating tempo. He piled up eight assists in the first quarter alone, the most he’s ever recorded in a single playoff quarter, as the Lakers found an early rhythm offensively.
The 39-year-old poured in nine points in the fourth quarter to shut the door, finishing the night with 19 points, 13 assists and 8 rebounds in a performance that had his fingerprints all over it.
But he wasn’t doing it alone.
Luke Kennard stepped up in a major way, delivering one of the best playoff games of his career. Kennard caught fire from deep, knocking down five threes on his way to 27 points and providing the perfect scoring outlet alongside James’ playmaking.
Every time Houston threatened to shift momentum, the Lakers had an answer, and more often than not, it started with James and ended with Kennard.
After the game, the praise for James’ leadership was clear.
“He displayed great leadership throughout,” the Lakers coach said. “We talked all week about being connected offensively and trusting the pass. He led us there in the first half, getting 10 assists, and then was able to make some scoring plays down the stretch.
“Just a fantastic overall game from him, and he gave us all he had on the defensive end. I mean, he really exerted himself on both ends, and that’s what the playoffs are.”
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