Tonight, after defeating the Blazers, the Lakers have chased their Western Conference record to sixth place. Initially, without Davis, the Lakers faced a tough challenge on the offensive end. However, with James' outburst, the Lakers easily overcame the Blazers in just the second quarter.
James recently celebrated his 40th birthday and remains a popular figure in the league. Despite being the Lakers' second-in-command and a box office draw, James trails in the first phase of All-Star voting, not appearing on the starting lineup alongside Curry. His teammate Davis is on the starting list, so James must continue to work hard, performing well in upcoming games to gain enough votes and support from other channels.
The Lakers hosted the Blazers, a young team lacking the presence of Lillard, resulting in a lack of intimidation. They resemble a group of scattered soldiers, capable of winning if they play well but prone to losing if Simmons performs poorly, making them an unstable underachieving team.
The Lakers' second-in-command, James, was excited and fully engaged in attack mode from the start, seemingly looking forward to Finney-Smith's contributions off the bench after Russell's trade. In this game, Smith scored only single digits, shooting 1 for 6 and 0 for 4 from three-point range. He needs to adapt to the Lakers' basket and improve his shooting percentage to help James enhance the team's record.
Davis was unable to play, but Reeves has been outstanding in recent games, especially with his buzzer-beater against the Warriors during Christmas Day. Reeves has become Redick's most reliable ace, apart from Davis and James' personal attacks and pick-and-roll combinations. Reeves can join the U.S. men's basketball team for the World Cup, demonstrating his skills honed by the Lakers, making him more trustworthy to Lakers fans and management than Russell. Therefore, the Lakers kept Reeves and traded away Russell!
The Blazers played well in the first quarter with high shooting accuracy despite fewer attempts. The Lakers relied on James to drive the offense as other players shot less. In the second quarter, the Lakers' young players no longer depended on the veterans, having their own ideas. James became a supporting element, relying on teamwork to defeat the Blazers. After a strong second quarter, the Blazers fell behind, and the Lakers maintained their lead. In the second half, James led the charge, scoring an impressive 38 points, setting a record while also helping the Lakers secure a win that propelled them to sixth in the West, directly qualifying for the playoffs without needing a play-in game.
After the game, Lakers head coach Redick praised the players' performance and highly commended James' efforts. However, Redick also cautioned James not to push himself too hard, urging him to trust his teammates and take more rest. The Lakers can afford to lose some games, but James must avoid getting injured in unpredictable matches, which Redick cannot allow. Redick wants James to stay healthy throughout the regular season and give it his all in the playoffs! Redick also mentioned Davis, who is only dealing with minor injuries and will not miss future games. Like James, Davis is a valuable asset to the Lakers, and his health is something Redick continuously monitors and cares about.
