The Lakers blew a big lead. LeBron James blew a game-winning layup. But he wouldn’t do it a second time.
James went through three different Utah defenders for a spinning, go-ahead layup to give the Lakers a crucial 135-133 win over the Jazz. That took him to 37 points, as the Lakers won their fourth straight game.
The victory looked totally secure when the Lakers had a 10-point lead with less than two minutes left. But then a nightmarish sequence led to the lead entirely slipping away, punctuated by a missed layup by James at the end of regulation.
James took it upon himself to make up for the missed layup. In the extra period, he hit a three, made a dunk, hit two free throws, and blocked former teammate Talen Horton-Tucker. Then, he finished off the win, setting up a huge game Wednesday night against their crosstown rivals.
As improbable as it sounds, the Lakers and Clippers are now tied with 41-38 records. It’s technically a home game for the Clippers, even though it’s still the Lakers’ own Crypto.com Arena. The winner effectively grabs the five seed in the Western Conference, since both teams have the tiebreaker over the 42-38 Warriors.
How is James going to prepare for a back-to-back, after playing 38 minutes Tuesday night? He’s considering some unconventional treatment.
He may not have an ice bucket on his feet, but James proved he has ice water in his veins.
