On January 3rd, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued as the Portland Trail Blazers visited the Los Angeles Lakers. The game started with both teams exchanging leads, with the score remaining close until the second quarter. The Blazers' offense stalled, allowing the Lakers to seize the opportunity and win the quarter by a margin of 13 points. At halftime, the Lakers had established a 9-point lead. In the second half, the Lakers continued their momentum, extending the lead to double digits. In the final quarter, the Blazers, led by Simmons, attempted a comeback, but the Lakers, under the leadership of LeBron James, maintained control of the game, denying the Blazers any chance of a reversal. Ultimately, the Lakers narrowly defeated the Blazers with a score of 114-106.
This was the first back-to-back game for the Lakers, with Anthony Davis strategically resting due to injury. Hayes returned to save the day, and the Lakers played with speed and passion under the coordination of LeBron James and Reeves, far surpassing the Blazers in terms of overall performance. Throughout the game, the Lakers outscored the Blazers in fast-break points 26-12 and capitalized on the Blazers' 18 turnovers to score 24 points. In contrast, the Lakers only turned the ball over 12 times, allowing the Blazers to score just 14 points off turnovers. The Blazers fought individually, but the combined efforts of Simmons, Avdija, Kali, and Henderson were not enough to shake the Lakers.
Without Davis, the Lakers won so easily, with LeBron James, Reeves, and Christie each playing their roles effectively, united like brothers with a common goal! Reeves continued his recent all-around output, easily scoring 15 points, 8 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 steals, falling just short of a triple-double. The calm and collected Reeves is the perfect backcourt partner for LeBron James. In his first game after turning 40, LeBron James also delivered an impressive performance! Over 36 minutes of play, he shot 15 for 25 (7 for 10 from three-point range) and made 1 of 2 free throws, accumulating a luxurious stat line of 39 points, 3 rebounds, and 8 assists. Especially in the second quarter, LeBron scored 14 points to help the Lakers seize the initiative; in the decisive moments, Simmons pressed hard, eliciting LeBron's killer instinct. LeBron hit a crucial three-pointer and sealed the victory with a powerful dunk, displaying great dominance! Meanwhile, LeBron set multiple legendary records.
According to NBA.com's data, LeBron became the second player in NBA history to score 30+ points in a single game after turning 40, with the first being basketball god Michael Jordan. Additionally, his 38 points rank third on the list of single-game scores by players over 40, with the top two spots both held by Jordan (once with 43 points, once with 39 points). In another statistical category, this was LeBron's 562nd career game with 30+ points, tying him with Jordan for first place in NBA history. Furthermore, LeBron is the first player in NBA history to score at least 35 points and make 5+ three-pointers in a single game after turning 40, an achievement even the great Jordan could not accomplish!
If Reeves and LeBron's comprehensive performances were expected, then Christie's breakout game was an unexpected delight! Over 31 minutes of play, Christie shot 9 for 16 (5 for 9 from three-point range) and made all 5 free throws, tallying a comprehensive stat line of 28 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, with zero turnovers and a plus-minus of +8 on the court. According to statistics, the 28 points set a new personal career high for Christie. On this night of his career, Christie received widespread acclaim, with LeBron James stating: "Christie has been preparing for such an opportunity, and he has achieved it"; J.J. Redick commented: "Christie has grown to the point where I can't take him off the court!" Christie possesses top-tier defensive aggression, and when he improves his offensive consistency, he will be the answer the Lakers are looking for - he's just too good! What do you think about this, fellow fans? Leave me a comment to discuss it.