LeBron James finally looking exactly like his old self after his last game back in Christmas, even if he doesn’t feel like it.
“Definitely ecstatic about being back out there with my guys,” he said, “but being out five weeks, I’m feeling it right now. I wish I could click my shoes together right now and be home in my bed.”
James had 24 points and 14 rebounds in his return from a 17-game injury absence, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Clippers 123-120 in overtime Thursday night after blowing a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead.
He goaled 5 out of 7 throws on this game, had four turnovers and no fouls in 40 minutes of his first game since 25th December at Golden State, when he strained his left groin.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how I feel tomorrow,” he said. “That’s going to be the telltale sign of all the rehabbing and the working and everything I’ve been putting in these last five weeks.”
The Lakers scored 6-11 during their longest absence of its 16 years of career. “He looked good,” said Tobias Harris, who guarded James during his game.
Tied 118-all, James scored the go-ahead basket in overtime. Lance Stephenson drove to a failing lay up, causing the rival Boban Marjanovic injury on the nose by being hit by James elboy on the game. This incident added no penalty to both parties, of course after being observed by the officials.
The crew chief, John Goble told the field reporter after the game that the review was for a possible or potential hostile act. He then added that the on-court ruling system was a defensive foul and there was no additional contact.
Stephenson is the hero of the game by added three-point play which makes the Lakers ahead 123-118, what a gap.
“I don’t know how you can come to that call,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “You make contact with the head, it’s a flagrant. It was too obvious. It was an elbow to the face. Why put in those rules if you’re not going to call it?”
Lou Williams who is Marjanovic’s teammate then added that if Boban gets penalized so much for being too big, then someone who elbow a guy from the basket has to be considered as one offensive foul.
Avery Bradley and Williams missed on the same possession, and Williams missed a free throw when Stephenson got called for a technical in a tussle with Bradley. The Clippers were 14 of 26 from the foul line.
Williams didn’t add a potential trying three-pointer off in the right place right before the final buzzer. On the other hand Stephenson added 20 points and matched a career high with five 3-pointers for the Lakers. Brandon Ingram added 19 points, and Rajon Rondo had 14 points and 13 rebounds. All thanks to the supporters who filled up the Staples Center to cheer on them.
