LeBron James had a dominant performance this Saturday, with a triple double of 36 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists, and gave the Los Angeles Lakers an epic 145-144 victory at the Golden State Warriors’ field after two overtimes.
LeBron, 39 years old, played 47.40 minutes at the Chase Center, made and scored two free throws with one second left to decide the game, in the 50th matchup against Steph Curry.
The duel between the two NBA legends, both four-time champions, ended with victory for LeBron, although Curry stood out for the Warriors with 46 points and nine three-pointers.
LeBron finished 14 of 25 on field goals, two of four on three-pointers and a perfect six of six from the free throw line. Steph scored 17 of his 35 field goals, with 9 of 21 on three-pointers, to which he added three rebounds and seven assists.
The Warriors had a 15-point lead at 88-73 in the third period, but were on the verge of losing the game in the fourth, due to the Lakers’ comeback. It was Curry, with a saving layup, who was in charge of forcing the first overtime.
Lakers vs. Warriors: Two overtimes were necessary
The game did not look good for the Lakers when Klay Thompson hit a great triple to tie it at 130 and force a second overtime. In fact, the Warriors tasted victory when Curry, with six seconds left, scored another magnificent triple to give his team a 144-143 lead.
But the last word went to LeBron James. He received the ball and attacked the basket, forcing a foul by Draymond Green. He didn’t tremble from the foul line. He connected both and forced Curry to attempt a three-pointer from his half of the field, with the ball that did not reach the rim.
LeBron ended up receiving congratulations and hugs from all his teammates. Anthony Davis was another figure, scoring 29 points and capturing 13 rebounds, and D’Angelo Russell contributed 28 points. For the Warriors, Klay Thompson scored 24 points, while Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins scored 22 each.