The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a miraculous 21-point fourth-quarter comeback en path to a vital 116-112 win over the LA Clippers at Crypto.com Area on Wednesday.
The Lakers entered the fourth quarter trailing by 19 factors, their largest deficit of the night, after a Norman Powell buzzer-beating 3-pointer to finish the third quarter. Throughout the opening seconds of the fourth, the Lakers’ deficit swelled to 21.
They appeared getting ready to falling to 1-3 popping out of the All-Star Break, digging a deeper gap behind the surging Golden State Warriors (30-27 and winners of eight of their previous 10 video games).
However LeBron James, who entered the body with 15 factors, refused to let that occur.
The 21-year famous person took over when it mattered most, single-handedly outscoring the Clippers 19-16 within the quarter, together with making 5 of his season-high seven 3-pointers, whereas additionally defending Kawhi Leonard for lengthy stretches. James completed with 34 factors, six rebounds, eight assists and two blocks in 37 minutes. The Lakers outscored the Clippers by 11 factors with James on the ground — the perfect mark on the workforce.
LeBron James scored 19 factors within the fourth quarter in a comeback win for the Lakers over the Clippers.
James spoke to reporters after the largest fourth-quarter comeback of his profession.
“The sport shouldn’t be ever over till it is double zeroes.”
🎥 @espnpic.twitter.com/HdptLVeSm1
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 29, 2024
When the Clippers started doubling him, he discovered his teammates, with Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell every making large 3s.
The win bumped the Lakers (32-28) forward of the Warriors and again to No. 9 within the West. They host the Washington Wizards on the second night time of a back-to-back Thursday.
The Clippers, who had been with out starters Paul George and Ivica Zubac, fell to 37-20 and have misplaced three of 4 video games.
LeBron goes ‘sicko mode’ within the fourth
James, who traditionally ramps up throughout the common season, has performed with a transparent sense of urgency popping out of the All-Star break.
On Wednesday, that entailed James moving into the zone — or as Anthony Davis dubbed it, “sicko mode” — and making 5 3s between the 11:09 and 4:38 marks of the fourth quarter.
He exerted his will on the sport in a manner that solely the sport’s highest can, focusing on James Harden and Daniel Theis defensively in pick-and-rolls, methodically attacking the open gaps within the Clippers’ protection, and directing his teammates to the proper spots on the ground.
On the ultimate possession, James caught with Leonard on a drive proper, forcing him right into a contested fadeaway jumper that got here up quick. James grabbed the rebound and kicked the ball forward to Cam Reddish who punctuated the victory with an uncontested transition dunk.
Even in his twenty first season, James remains to be setting profession firsts. The comeback marked the primary time a James workforce has gained a recreation after trailing by at the least 21 factors within the fourth quarter.
The King continues to defy all expectations.
Clippers collapse
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue believed that his workforce dropping a recreation regardless of holding a 21-point fourth-quarter lead has by no means occurred. This was a chance for a press release recreation, and the Clippers performed the half by way of three quarters. In every of the primary three quarters, the Clippers scored at the least 30 factors and held the Lakers beneath 30 factors.
However there have been underlying indicators that the Clippers weren’t as locked in as they wanted to be. The Clippers allowed the Lakers to attain 22 paint factors within the first quarter. At halftime, the Clippers allowed the Lakers to make 53.3 p.c from the sector, whereas the Lakers solely tried two free throws — the Lakers lead the NBA in free-throw differential. And within the third quarter, the Clippers had extra turnovers (4) than that they had in your entire first half (3).
The Clippers made 6-of-13 3s within the third quarter. However they made solely 4-of-24 3s within the different three quarters, together with lacking 6-of-7 makes an attempt within the fourth quarter. Leonard stated that the offense received stagnant, whereas Terance Mann stated, “It’s a number of easy reads that we have to make that we aren’t making proper now.”
Probably the most embarrassing a part of the fourth quarter by the Clippers, apart from being fully gathered by James’ onslaught of 3s, is how they had been destroyed after they turned the ball over. The Lakers outscored the Clippers 18-2 off turnovers within the closing quarter alone. For the sport, the Lakers scored 30 factors off of 14 Clippers turnovers, and had 31 quick break factors, making all 14 photographs they tried on the break.
This was a whole and complete collapse, and the logistics of the Clippers’ schedule conveys how a lot of a missed alternative this was to keep away from their first dropping streak since Christmas. Now, the Clippers enter the month of March the place they’ve solely two video games which might be adopted by two days of relaxation. In April, LA has eight video games with minimal relaxation, together with two back-to-backs, for the rest of the common season.
“It’s on all of us,” a curt Harden stated after Wednesday night time’s loss. “We’re on this collectively, you already know what I imply? It’s irritating. You may’t be up 18 factors at house and provides away a win, particularly this time of the yr. It’s that straightforward.” — Legislation Murray, Clippers beat author
Required studying
(Photograph: Gary A. Vasquez / USA At this time)
