The semifinals in Las Vegas for the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament are officially set after the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night, 106-103. The Lakers are now 5-0 in the tournament and will face off against the New Orleans Pelicans for the chance to play for the first In-Season Championship.
It certainly felt like a playoff game inside Crypto.com Arena, where the Lakers held a lead as large as 15 points. Kevin Durant, Grayson Allen and Devin Booker scored at least 21 points for the Suns, but it was not enough to get past the Lakers on Tuesday night, who had three players break the 20-point mark as well.
Austin Reaves scored 20 points off the bench to lead the second unit. In the starting lineup, Anthony Davis poured in 27 with 15 rebounds, but LeBron James led the way with 31 points.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: LeBron James & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
James has been excellent once again this season, as he continues to fight off Father Time, unlike any player we have seen previously. Against Phoenix, he played 40 minutes and didn’t look any worse for the wear.
He shot 12-of-25 from the field, going 2-of-4 on 3-pointers and 5-of-6 from the foul line. He nearly triple-doubled, grabbing eight rebounds and handing out 11 assists in a spectacular performance.
In the process, he also made some NBA history. According to OptaSTATS on X, formerly known as Twitter, James is the first player in NBA history to have 30-point games 20+ years apart. On November 29th, 2023, his rookie season, he scored 33 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Memphis Grizzlies for the first time in his career. Then last night, December 5th, he scored the aforementioned 31.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: LeBron James & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
James is defying all logic with his level of play this late into his career. Not only has he been able to remain healthy to this point, knock on wood, but he is producing at the most efficient clip of his career, making up for his usage rate being the lowest since his rookie season.
If he can keep this up, there is no reason the Lakers cannot contend in the Western Conference. They have shown throughout the NBA In-Season Tournament that when they are motivated to play and the stakes are high, as they will be in the postseason, they can play at a high level.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
Interested in reading the latest storylines and analysis in the NFL? Check out our partner NFL Analysis Network.
