LeBron James leads the Lakers to advance to the second round: 28 PTS (10⁄25 FG), 7 REB, 8 AST, +26
LeBron tonight comes out strong with a mission and sets the tone for the Lakers. He has 28 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists and the Lakers advances
https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401869409
Lol in the postgame.
“I have the most playoff experience on the team”
Brother you have the most playoff experience in NBA history
More playoff experience than half of the *teams* in nba history
I think only 6 teams have more playoff series wins than him, and only 9 teams have more playoff game wins than him. His coach was drafted 3 years after him. Thats how long this motherfucker has been playing, and he’s made the playoffs almost every year.
His coach being drafted 3 years after him is one of the more ridiculous of LeBron’s longevity stats
His son is on the bench of the same team. It’s really a fucking joke
Him and Wilt have the most absurd “that can’t be real” type facts looking back at their careers
Man through an alley-oop to his son in a playoff game. That shit was wild to see
He created his own teammate lmao
He already had a coach who was in the same draft as him for the 18-19 season too.
I mean it’s not just his coach. Over 20% of the current coaches in the NBA are younger or born in the same year as LeBron.
This playoff win gave Lebron more playoff wins than the Chicago Bulls as a franchise.
The team Michael Jordan three peated twice with.
Lebron is basically the third greatest team in NBA history, after the Lakers and Celtics.
He might have the most playoff experience in sports history lol.
Fairly close with Brady, up to you who has the edge(~57+ or so playoff series to 48 playoff games, 10 Finals appearances and 4 wins to 10 Superbowl appearances and 7 wins)
One player has a far greater impact in basketball, and yet their narratives are quite divergent.
Why is that? I don’t follow the NFL.
Seven Superbowls is a ridiculous amount of Superbowls to win. He has more super bowl wins than any franchise has collected in their existence.
I don’t understand football super well, but surely the quarterback is the most influential position in like, basically any team sport you can think of? Even higher than like goalie or pitcher?
You can be the best QB in the league and put up dramatically different numbers dependent on o-line, oc, rb, wr core. Or you can even have your efforts neutralized entirely by your defense
Brady 48 playoff games of 383 total games played vs bron at 298 playoff games out of a total of 1920. Puts bron at 15.5% to Bradys 12.5%. Not necessarily the be all end all, but it is interesting
Each league has 4 round post seasons, so looking at it that way, it’s 57 rounds to 48, but Brady also got like 13 1st round byes or something like that
Brady never dragged a bad team to the Super Bowl and in probably 8 of Brady’s appearances he was on the team that was definitely better, usually significantly better.
Regardless 298 > 48, saying “it’s up to you” for who has more postseason experience is a silly take.
different sports
Football isn’t a drag your team to the Super Bowl type of sport. Brady has pulled off two of the greatest Super Bowl comebacks we have ever seen, including the best comeback in postseason sports history.
greatest single game comeback maybe, but winning 3 whole games in a row against the best team of all time is in my opinion a greater feat
Way better feat. Down 3-1 going to golden state dropped 40 alongside kyrie, go back to Cleveland drop another 40 alongside Kyrie and game 7 with a triple double and the most legendary block ever, beating the 73 win team.
His playoff points record is going to be unfucking breakable really.
You have to start early, and play till you’re fucking 40+ at a super high level.
Brother went to the finals 8 times in 8 years in the east lmao
There were 4th graders who didn’t see a finals without LeBron until they were in college
There are kids who were born when Lebron entered the league, went to college, got drafted to the NBA themselves, and then got eliminated by Lebron tonight.
I was born a couple months into his rookie season. It’s hard to wrap my head around. I’m older than Bronny.
The number of years that Lebron has made the playoffs is of legal age.
Big if true
So close to 27-7-7… again
He does it on purpose
He’ll do it in his last game. His version of Kobe’s “goodbye” 60. Would be so cool.
If the opposing team plays defense like they did in Kobe’s 60 game then Bron will have 40/30/30.
If Bron at age 40something shoots as much as Kobe did 40/30/30 might be his shooting split too
Playoffs so it wouldn’t count
He’s never done it in the postseason, either
However his postseason averages are 28.x/9/7 so it isn’t as meaningful
he never has done it in regular season or playoffs. but yea in regular season it would be more meaningful. although his ppg dropped below 27 now due to this season, but eh who cares. go 27 7 7 for his last game pls
LeTease
LEdge
The day he does this will be the day he finally becomes the GOAT.
He’s saving it for his last game.
28 points with +26 is just the ultimate troll
3-0 LeBron legacy takes go down the memory hole
It’s crazy how people salivate over shit like that lol literally rooting for talking points in their barbershop GOAT debates
I watched the dude get a steal and hit a clutch 3 with like 15 seconds left in game 3 at 41 years old…IN THE DAMN PLAYOFFS. Forget the GOAT stuff (although I mean, it probably helps his case), how can you watch that and not be in absolute awe? He is a literal living legend.
That highlight would be at the top of most guys all-time plays and it probably doesn’t even sit at top 10 for LeBron. And he did it at 40. You’re absolutely right, living legend.
The amount of people saying that that would ruin his legacy was so corny. If you are playing professional basketball at 41, there is nothing you can do to harm your legacy at that point because just being out there is incredible. It’s like if I shit talked my grandfather for finishing last when he ran a marathon. Who cares where you place when you are doing something 99% of people your age can’t.
Barbershop GOAT debates is the main reason i go to salon now
I love Simmons’ take about how he thinks the Rockets are gonna win this series, like yeah THIS rockets team is what you wanna hitch your wagon too? They were too inexperienced.
Simmons is a negative influence on basketball fandom. His LeBron hate is frankly absurd
Hah, I said the following on the Bill Simmons sub:
Bill’s views on LeBron have always been so weird. He consistently says he’s the second greatest player of all time but goes out of his way to diminish his accomplishments and success.
I remember that prior to the 2019-2020 season, Bill was hyping Kawhi on the Clippers to an absurd degree, constantly mentioning how cool it’d be if someone won Finals MVP on three separate teams and how nobody has done that before. He never once mentioned LeBron also having the chance to do that and once he actually did, he never brought it up again.
I mean he only acknowledged LeBron as number 2 over Bill Russell after the 2020 ring. And his “LeBron hate” over the past few years really just comes across as Lakers hate that needs a specific target.
I love Simmons but I know there’s certain topics that you need to add many pinches of salt to when you hear him start haha
Oh, I know. I’ve been a Simmons fan since 05 and I still am despite my annoyances with him, it’s just part of the BS experience.
But I will say his weird attitude towards LeBron isn’t merely based on him being on the Lakers, it’s been a thing since he went to Miami in 2010. In the updated version of his book, which came out shortly after LeBron left Cleveland, he not-so-subtly threw shade at LeBron as he outright stated LeBron’s the rare type of superstar who doesn’t mind being a supporting player.
If you favorite team got dogwalked like Celtics in G6 2012 you might become a hater for life too.
Sure but I’m just a fan. Bill actually has a vote for NBA awards and actively tries to shape people’s perceptions of these players.
Yeah, people were putting their hopes on Amen and Tari to keep hitting 3’s. That wasn’t gonna happen
I never understood why everyone was panicking, there was never a doubt in my mind that the lakers and lebron would pull through.
They literally lost game 5 by 6 points despite shooting terribly. One good shooting night is all they needed to win.
That was one of the reasons I thought the Lakers could choke honestly. Cuz like, how sustainable was shooting 50% from 3P range in the first 2 games? But they probably shot like 40ish% from 3 for the series while the Rockets are at, what? low 30’s, high 20’s from 3 as a team during the last 6 games? And damn, I really did not give the Lakers respect for their defense, but Ayton really showed up this series, and Marcus Smart was a dog.
An aside: The takeaway everyone had last season when the Rockets lost to the Warriors was that they needed a true number 1 scoring option…instead of actual shooters. You can’t rely on shooting 36% from downtown when you are near the bottom of the league in 3PA. I’m not saying blow it up, but trade KD for some snipers.
There was 0 chance this rockets team wasn’t going to have an absolutely attrocious offensive performance. With KD on the floor its a pretty bad offense, without KD its a beyond attrocious offense. Could they have had a few mid performances to take it to game 6 maybe 7? Sure. Am I surprised they couldn’t even hold out for 1 more game? Not remotely.
Every single one of them needs to be named and shamed, because it was so stupid.
We’ll never see a 41 year old do this again.
Yeah because next year he’s gonna be 42
Yeah, we might not see a 41 year-old but we will see a 42-year-old do it.
The math checks out
Why can’t it be 27/7/7
His final game it will be and then we all blow up
Subscribe. I want LeBron to score 27/7/7 in a G7 Finals win against the Celtics, and I want the collective internet reaction to manifest a black hole so massive it mercifully takes us all off of this cursed ass timeline
Subscribe
!remindme 2 years
!remindme 25 years
Bro what have you done
!remindme 10 years
No doubt in my mind this will happen especially with how he ended his 10 pt streak
his final game is the singularity
Make it 54/14/14
he’s intentionally been blue balling us his entire career
LeBron’s first playoff series win happened before I started kindergarten, and this latest victory happened as I’m about to turn 25.
LeBron was drafted about two weeks after I was born, and I’m now working and graduated from college and he’s still playing.
Ffs I’m getting old af, thanks
Me and LeBron are the same age and I pulled a muscle driving my car while he’s carrying another squad of dudes in the playoffs.
Yep, similar story for me lmao
LeBron’s first nba game was a month after I was born and I’m 22 rn.
I’m also 22, but his first game was a month or two before I was born
I was 2 when LeBron was drafted now Ill be turning 26 this year.
I was 8 and now I’m 45.
No way
I watched LeBron play against Oak Hill during his senior year in 2002 on ESPN2. I was 11. I turn 35 in 4 months.
Man, I watched it in a bar with a ton of people doing the same and will never forget it. I am much older.
A 41 years old lebron James year 23 into his career was the best player on the floor for this entire series playing against guys nearly half his age and with far more energy. In a must win game today he had 28 points 8 assists and 8 rebounds and was a +28 on the floor while playing defense as well.
Regardless of what happens against OKC this further adds to his legacy and adds legitimacy to his GOAT case. Incredible
In before LeBron gets swept and we’re back to shitting on Lebron for losing at 41 against a much better team, while his star teammates are out.
If he somehow defeats OKC at 41 it will be hard not to recognize goat status
People were saying if LeBron beats Houston without Luka and Reaves he should be unanimous goat lmao.
LeBron’s the most “he would be goat if he did this” athlete ever. The goalposts move everyday
he will be goat if he defeat putin in a trench war in the middle of russian winter
How about a Sicilian when death is on the line?
Yea but the thing is without KD, him leading the Lakers through this series was plausible. It’s still incredible because he’s 41, but nobody but the most delusional Lakers fans think there’s any real chance they beat OKC.
So if LeBron somehow lead a team that knocked off a constant MVP candidate alongside a very deep, cohesive title contender that would be truly legendary.
And of course, if he managed to get to the finals and win it, then I will forget that Michael Jordan even existed.
Houston was continuously favored even without KD. Are you really so dumb to think losing Luka+Reaves is less worse than losing KD?
No, of course not. But the Lakers are the more balanced team even with all their losses because I had no faith in Amen or Sengun to be consistent enough without KD. So anything short of Reed Sheppard becoming some break out playoff riser I didn’t see them having a real chance. Turns out I was right about that. But ya Lakers are definitely more short-handed
KD getting injured helped a lot with the goal posting shifting though. If they beat OKC (which they won’t lol but it’s funny to speculate) that’s gonna be a lot harder to shift.
Houston was still favored every game except Game 5. You’re proving my point
Oh I agree they were favoured. I’m just saying that even with KD, they wouldn’t have been favoured as much as OKC are - so without KD, it was easier for people to move the goalposts.
I can’t even imagine what you could come up with to move the goalposts if they beat OKC. That was what I was trying to say.
The year is 2057. LeBron just got a bionic leg implant and will play without the wheelchair for game 6. The sports world is debating how it affects his legacy if he can’t win this playoff series with his grandson against Steph Curry Jr and the defending champion Charlotte Hornets
Most unrealistic part of this is Hornets as defending champs
The fuckery continues!
Lebron with the oop to LeBron James III with Bronny cheering on the sideline
He showed far more effort and hustle at age 41 year old with his teams best player out than jokic in his prime against third stringers and back benches
Jokic doesn’t even like basketball. And it shows.
I don’t think that’s completely fair. Him liking horses more isn’t the same as not liking basketball.
You can’t do fraud with basketball. Gotta use horses to help his Zangief looking brothers out.
He already won one and I think he’s cool with it atp
Have they thought about drafting a horse to play with him? Maybe will reignite him
These Jokic takes got insane fast lol
WE ARE ALL WITNESSES 👑
I love it that we can see this - we’re going to be sad when it is over.
Lebron was never ever going to choke a 3-0 much less to a sengun led team.
Sengun and a coward KD
GOAT
Surely this fuckery can’t go on much longer
Not much longer. His career is almost 75% over. In another five or six years it’ll be concluded.
I love him sm
sighs Oh LeBron, how do I even start?
The year you were drafted to the NBA was the year I was born. Maybe that was fate, maybe not, maybe it’s just a coincidence, but it means something to me personally, as they say, it’s God’s timing, the very best of planners. The moment I stumbled upon the world of basketball, you were there as an active performer. The very first player I felt a deep lying connection to, and since then, it’s only gotten stronger. As a child, I saw you excel at your craft, as a teenager, I saw you still be on top of the world, and as an adult, I get to witness you strive for the top of the mountain one last time, as the day is quickly approaching that we’ll have to say goodbye, and we, the world will be forced to hopelessly standby to see you walking off to the sunset leaving the sport as the greatest to ever do it. Time moves quickly, one moment you were in Cleveland as a rookie, the next you’re a battle tested veteran in LA leading a team of wayward souls through the playoffs, reminding us that despite your age, you’re still in a world without peer. I dread the day that arrives when you’ll retire & enter the patheon of NBA legends as the greatest of all-time, but that’s life, knowing everything eventually comes to an end, but it still doesn’t hurt any less knowing it’s over. Someday, I’ll go to sleep at night and your presence will randomly hit like a gush of wind, I believe it’s what they call grief. Your absence will be felt across the basketball world.
But until that day comes, I will cherish every waking second you spend in this league, gracing us with your splender & age-defying feats of greatness. Your spot at the top of the history of the game is one that’ll never be taken, when you retire the void will be felt, that emptiness will be felt, and it’ll always be there for as long the art that I love to watch is showcased, not just for me, but for the millions who also call you their hero, who also fell in love with you. As long as my heart beats, as long as I can function as a human being, having control of my own thoughts and being able to talk out through my mouth, I will always speak your name. People won’t forget you because you’ve touched the hearts of millions, souls that have been engraved with your name, and I am so proud to be one of those people, so you never have to fear of being forgotten because it’s just impossible. It’ll never happen.
You’ve cemented yourself in history, not only as the greatest player to step onto a basketball court, but most importantly, a beautiful soul and an amazing human being. That’s what makes you even more special, and why your connection with supporters will forever live on, because you have a good heart. Many have tarnished their legacies because of who they were outside off the court, but not you. Who you were in the court, is who you are as a human being. #StriveforGreatness. It’s not a hashtag, it’s what you stand for, it is who you are.
That feeling, that joy you have given me, no other player has given me that, no other player resembles the love I have for you, and I am holding onto it for dear life because I know how fast time goes by now, and I want to be able to relish in it for as long as I can until it’s over. You are my first love, many have come after you, many will come later on that I’m sure I’ll be touched by, but you only get one first love in relationships, and in my relationship with basketball, I am so honoured and proud to say that you are mine. I couldn’t have asked for a better time to be given life as God has blessed me the privilege to witness your career, something I will deeply hold on to till the day I leave this earth. As you now continue to affect and touch the lives of many with your continued work in the game, I am grateful that I get to witness you kill it even now in your 40s, just like I was grateful I got to witness it when you were in your 20s. Thank you for everything, thank you for being an escape to millions of us, thank you for giving your health and body to entertain us for many years. I will follow you until the end.
There’ll only ever be one of you, a person like you only comes once in a lifetime. You are a light in a dark world that we live in. Thank you for being my sunshine, my beautiful king.
Thank you, LeBron ❤️
had me in tears ngl
I’m still processing Gerrard and Federer retiring. Lebron going will suck
bronny outlasting joker is not what i expected this season
Lmao media’s going to HATE this
Stephen A was salivating on the thought of a Houston comeback. Yes he’s crying right now seeing the Goat get this win.
Yeah the media is gonna HATE the LeBron-led LA Lakers advancing in the playoffs…I know this because I, too, have brain damage
It’s kinda true. You didn’t see all the shit being talked after game 4 and 5?
The media is not just ESPN nowadays. The Ringer has tremendous reach and they’re all certified LeBron haters who were salivating at the prospect of him blowing a 3-0 lead
They were literally salivating at the thought of LeBron choking a 3-0 lead. They hate LeBron more than they like the lakers
I dunno if anyone has pointed this out but he is doing this at 41 years old
Damn..really? He’s pretty good.
Time’s father
LeLegacy saved
LeGacy
Cavs playing like shit so im rooting for the goat to get another ring
Trade D Mitch for LeBron
LeBron first man in human history to have defeated Father Time™
I’ve been thinking this since he turned 40. Tom Brady did it too, and there’s a case for Djokovic as well.
just controlled the game the entire time, every single play, even if he wasn’t involved in the scoring/assist
it was him dictating what will be going on
He makes basketball look really easy sometimes. If that dunk on Jabari had gone down I think I could’ve ran through a wall and I don’t even like the Lakers.
If he’s at his best, he can will the Lakers past the Thunder.
LeBron/Wemby WCF at his age would be so sick for the history books
I fucking hope, 🤣
a man believes.
Pls bball gods make this happen
He just can’t sustain it. I’d like to petition for Thunder vs lakers’ playoff games to be four 3 minute quarters. Keep it super high stakes. I have no ulterior motives
We’ll never 27-7-7, will we?
lebron doing this at age 41 is incredible.lebron is just a freak of nature and we need to appreciate his greatness while he is still playing .
The absolutely undeniable GOAT, was a 3rd option that led his team up 3-0 when every analyst said Rockets were winning and the stats showed that they should’ve been the better team with Luka and AR out… 41 years old and balled the fuck out being the best player still in a playoff game
Im giving lebron his flowers bro, his performance this playoff series was so amazing. He’s so versatile, controls the game like he’s playing chess and controlling chess pieces. Great job lakers
Rough shooting night but still +26 is pretty good
40% FG looks bad on paper, but it looks way better when you realise the Lakers overall also shot 40% and Houston shot 35%. It was a defensive game.
Can’t believe 41 year old Lebron James had to carry his team in a playoff series like he did back when he was a teenager in the Cavaliers
I honestly thought he’d be banged up or out with an injury by game 2. Pick up something minor and sit out with Luka kinda thing.
I can’t believe he just did that shit while KD watched on the sideline with a minor injury
Bus rider vs carriage driver
So close to getting that elusive 27/7/7
57-year-old LeBron leading his team in points and assists in a game will never cease to amaze me.
That’s what all time GOAT players do right there. Some of these other teams need to take some notes
THE GOAT. Doing this at 41 is absolutely insane.
We’ll never see another LeBron man.
Almost 28-8-8
I wish he didn’t try to aura farm so much with those unnecessary fadeaway shots which kinda fucked up his shooting splits lol
To be fair, he is 41 and he couldn’t just easily back down everyone in every possession.
he’s scored more in the post than some whole teams have these playoffs…at 41
Remember when the lakers were gonna blow a 3-0 lead 😂
He’s going to put up 27-7-7 in his last game before he retires. It’ll be his version of Kobe’s 61 pointer
Shot himself out of efficiency in garbage time
Dude’s doing this at damn 41
I doubt he’d take a reduced role rather than retire, but I’d like to see how long LeBron could play until he was no longer able to be part of an 8 man playoff rotation.
LeNo3-0Comebackforyou
Can’t believe he’s 64
Close, but still no 27/7/7
No Luka? Houston, you STILL have a problem. His name is LeBron James.
Lebron gonna have dreams about SGA shooting free throws for many years to come.
Yeah, this series firmly places him in the GOAT conversation with Jordan. His longevity AND competence is fucking insane.
Bronny James retiring before LeBron is a possibillity.
Carried by a 41 year old
Blessed to watch 1st option King James
At 98 years old
Greatness at year 23 👑
But what does this mean for his legacy?
he edges us once again
Awesome game to cap off an incredible series by Lebron leading this team without Luka past the Rockets. Doing this at 41 is just unbelievable, he is clearly the GOAT.
Bronnys dad is good
Father Time does not approve, right by the 27/7/7 statline too.
Turning 42 this year
fucking insanee
Just goat things. All you zoomer haters can eat a fat one.
Fucking bron. This fuckery better not be generational.
The
I know OKC is almost unbeatable. I just want to see LBJ do a LeBronto on the Thunder in at least one game. LOL
My sunshine