JAMES COMES UP BIG AS LAKERS END LOSING STREAK
Never in LeBron James’ career has it looked quite like this.
James walked onto the court as a starter, just like he has 1,332 times before, only Tuesday in Houston he not only had to be his team’s best player, he needed to be their biggest.
Forced into examining one of the few options that makes the Lakers look drastically different, the team started James at center, firmly committing to the small-ball style of play that’s yielded the most positive results this season.
It wasn’t perfect — the Lakers have been anything but — however James and the team finally found a way to win, beating the Rockets 132-123 to end a five-game losing streak. James, who has been sensational over the last two weeks, finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.
Russell Westbrook, 10day contract player Stanley Johnson, Malik Monk and Avery Bradley joined James in the starting lineup, easily one of the strangest fives he’s started a game alongside.
Only Johnson didn’t finish in double figures — the Lakers got 24 points from Carmelo Anthony — but everyone in the rotation made plays. Monk, in his second game back from the COVID-19 protocols, scored 25. And Westbrook, fresh off a 4-for-20 shooting performance, rebounded to make 10 of 17 shots as he recorded another triple-double with 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
Fittingly, the plan to downsize came against the Rockets, who once eschewed conventional centers to play small in order to create better driving lanes for thenRocket Russell Westbrook. In part because of Westbrook’s presence on this Lakers roster, teams have been able to pack the paint against the Lakers.
It wasn’t just creative inspiration. It was also necessity.
Stricken with a COVID-19 outbreak that still has regulars like Trevor Ariza and
Austin Reaves out of the rotation and Frank Vogel working from a couch and a month-long absence from Anthony Davis while he nurses a knee injury, the Lakers were running out of
choices.
Starting in Minnesota, when Davis originally sprained the MCL in his knee, the Lakers had lost five straight games, pushing them below .500 with the meanest part of their schedule still ahead of them.
But even with the Lakers undermanned, James is the ultimate mismatch and by using him as the team’s center, the Lakers can dictate the style of the game.
Against the Rockets, it meant tons of pace — and ultimately, not a lot of defense.
Bucks 127, Magic 110: Giannis Antetokounmpo had 28 points, Bobby Portis scored 17 of his 19 points in the first half and visiting Milwaukee defeated Orlando for its fourth straight win.
76ers 114, Raptors 109: Tobias Harris had 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists for his first career triple-double, Joel Embiid finished with 36 points and 11 rebounds, and Philadelphia hung on to beat host Toronto.
Knicks 96, Timberwolves 88: Mitchell Robinson had 14 points and a season-high 18 rebounds, and visiting New York topped Minnesota.
Heat 119, Wizards 112: Tyler Herro scored 32 points off the Miami bench, Jimmy Butler finished with 25 points and a career-best 15 assists, and the Heat held off visiting Washington.
Pelicans 108, Cavaliers 104: Garrett Temple nailed four 3-pointers in a 3:50 span of the fourth quarter and rookie Herb Jones scored a career-high 26 points to lift host New Orleans.
Kings 117, Thunder 111:
Tyrese Haliburton had 24 points and 10 assists to lead host Sacramento.
Nuggets 89, Warriors 86:
Nikola Jokic had 22 points and 18 rebounds and visiting Denver won despite scoring 29 points in the second half.
Notable
The Nets’ Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and LaMarcus Aldridge have cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
• Atlanta added three players to its list of those in the protocols, giving the Hawks 13 currently dealing with a virus-related issue.
• Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault became the latest NBA coach to enter health and safety protocols.