Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James showered praise on Austin Reaves after their 107-97 win against the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. Anthony Davis had 27 points and 14 rebounds whereas Austin Reaves added 18 points off the bench and LeBron James scored 16 points and seven assists.
James admitted that they hadn’t been at their absolute best in the first half of the game but they took the second quarter by 35-14 against the Rockets, which proved to be the turning point of the game after they trailed by five points after the opening frame.
The Lakers dominated the paint, 54-34, and their bench outscored Houston’s reserves 33-24. After the first half, the Lakers were comfortably leading by 60-44 and James reckons the second quarter was their best of the season.
“That’s probably one of the best quarters that we had this year, especially in the first half. We just haven’t been a first-half team,” James said. “It came with defending, getting out, sharing the ball, moving the ball and A.R. was special in the second.”
On the other hand, head coach Darvin Ham provided an update on Rui Hachimura, who went under the knife for nose surgery.
“Physically he’s fine except for his nose,” coach Darvin Ham said.
Meanwhile, at the end of the second quarter, James pulled a reverse layup, which had Anthony Davis awestruck.
“It was a crazy shot,” Davis said. “At this point in his career he’s done everything that he literally just goes out and tries stuff and sees what works.”
In fact, Lakers’ Christian Wood received a tech for coming into the playing area as the bench erupted with the Lakers’ fans.
“We’ll take that one,” James said of the tech. “Just trying to make plays and I felt like that was the best way to kind of finish that one.”
“The fans let me know that I made it and then my teammates, by them running on the floor or whatever they did down there, allowed me to see it on the Jumbrotron because it stopped the play because of the technical.”
Darvin Ham showered praise on James for continuing to surprise one and all despite his age, “The most impressive thing is at what stage in his career he’s doing it in. He’s breaking barriers it seems every day.”
The Lakers will next take on the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
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