Looks like the fix is in for the Lakers - too many ticky tack fouls called on the Bucks
im shocked at how the Lakers played so well and gutted it out to take the win at home
AD won it at the end at both ends of the court. AD is the true star of the Lakers IMO
one of the best played games of the year for both teams I thought
Final Lakers 113-103
Caruso played a great game for Lakers and I also thought LeBum outplayed Giannis who was spectacular
up next the formidable Clipps on Sunday
Reading an article like this is the very reason LeBum makes me want to throw up.........I will never identify him as a face of the Lakers. The bold type is from me
LeBron James helps Lakers clinch first playoff berth since 2012-13
LOS ANGELES -- It took almost a year and a half, but LeBron Jamesaccomplished one of the goals he set when he moved to Los Angeles, ending the Lakers' six-season playoff drought.
Fueled by an MVP performance from James, the Lakers clinched a postseason berth for the first time since the 2012-13 season with Friday night's 113-103 winover the Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center.
"I came here to put this team and put this franchise back where they needed to be," said James, whose first season in Los Angeles was derailed by a groin injury that limited him to 55 games. "The league is not what it is if the Lakers are not winning. And that was one of my responsibilities, one of my goals when I came here.
"Last year, wasn't able to fulfill that. Hurt me to my heart to go down on Dec. 25 with the groin injury that I had -- knock on wood."
As he knocked on his locker stall, James said he congratulated third-year Lakers Kyle Kuzma and Alex Caruso on their first playoff berth.
On Friday, James put together the kind of performance the Lakers envisioned when they signed him during the summer of 2018. He had 37 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds while also taking on the task of guarding reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for pivotal stretches.
Though the Bucks' star had 32 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists, he managed only eight of his points on 3-for-6 shooting when James was the primary defender on him.
The Lakers (48-13) avenged a 111-104 loss in Milwaukee on Dec. 19 in the marquee showdown between the two best teams in the NBA. On Sunday, the Lakers will try to beat another title contender for the first time this season when they square off against their Staples Center hallway rivals -- the Clippers (43-19). The Clippers are surging, having won six straight games and are at full strength with a healthy roster. They beat the Lakers in the season opener without Paul George and again in their highly anticipated Christmas night showdown.
The third meeting between the two Los Angeles teams was postponed after Kobe Bryant's death, setting up Sunday's encounter as their third matchup this season.
"We know how well they've been playing as of late," James said. "They're at full strength. We're at full strength. And we look forward to the challenge to see how we can match up with them again. So, you know, the first game, we kind of threw that game out the window. It's the first game of the season. Who were we? Who were they? They had way more returning guys than we did [at that point]. We were still trying to figure out ourselves.
"And then the Christmas Day game, we didn't play to our capabilities. We played great in the first half and then the second half we let it kind of get away from us. So we just look forward to see if we can continue to play good basketball, no matter win, lose or draw."
I can’t dispute the facts but IMO Giannis will win againI am not a LeBron hater, just don't want to see him do well against the Clippers.
He's has had an incredible season at 35 years old - you have to give him credit for that.
So, I'll be rooting against the Lakers and LeBron on Sunday but I tip my hat to him for how he's played this season.
I can see why people don't like him and I can see how some Laker fans look at him as a carpet bagger but it seems the majority are in his corner based on those irritating MVP chants that you hear at every Laker game for him.
Reading an article like this is the very reason LeBum makes me want to throw up.........I will never identify him as a face of the Lakers. The bold type is from me
LeBron James helps Lakers clinch first playoff berth since 2012-13
LOS ANGELES -- It took almost a year and a half, but LeBron Jamesaccomplished one of the goals he set when he moved to Los Angeles, ending the Lakers' six-season playoff drought.
Fueled by an MVP performance from James, the Lakers clinched a postseason berth for the first time since the 2012-13 season with Friday night's 113-103 winover the Milwaukee Bucks at Staples Center.
"I came here to put this team and put this franchise back where they needed to be," said James, whose first season in Los Angeles was derailed by a groin injury that limited him to 55 games. "The league is not what it is if the Lakers are not winning. And that was one of my responsibilities, one of my goals when I came here.
"Last year, wasn't able to fulfill that. Hurt me to my heart to go down on Dec. 25 with the groin injury that I had -- knock on wood."
As he knocked on his locker stall, James said he congratulated third-year Lakers Kyle Kuzma and Alex Caruso on their first playoff berth.
On Friday, James put together the kind of performance the Lakers envisioned when they signed him during the summer of 2018. He had 37 points, 8 assists and 8 rebounds while also taking on the task of guarding reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for pivotal stretches.
Though the Bucks' star had 32 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists, he managed only eight of his points on 3-for-6 shooting when James was the primary defender on him.
The Lakers (48-13) avenged a 111-104 loss in Milwaukee on Dec. 19 in the marquee showdown between the two best teams in the NBA. On Sunday, the Lakers will try to beat another title contender for the first time this season when they square off against their Staples Center hallway rivals -- the Clippers (43-19). The Clippers are surging, having won six straight games and are at full strength with a healthy roster. They beat the Lakers in the season opener without Paul George and again in their highly anticipated Christmas night showdown.
The third meeting between the two Los Angeles teams was postponed after Kobe Bryant's death, setting up Sunday's encounter as their third matchup this season.
"We know how well they've been playing as of late," James said. "They're at full strength. We're at full strength. And we look forward to the challenge to see how we can match up with them again. So, you know, the first game, we kind of threw that game out the window. It's the first game of the season. Who were we? Who were they? They had way more returning guys than we did [at that point]. We were still trying to figure out ourselves.
"And then the Christmas Day game, we didn't play to our capabilities. We played great in the first half and then the second half we let it kind of get away from us. So we just look forward to see if we can continue to play good basketball, no matter win, lose or draw."
I am not a LeBron hater, just don't want to see him do well against the Clippers.
He's has had an incredible season at 35 years old - you have to give him credit for that.
So, I'll be rooting against the Lakers and LeBron on Sunday but I tip my hat to him for how he's played this season.
I can see why people don't like him and I can see how some Laker fans look at him as a carpet bagger but it seems the majority are in his corner based on those irritating MVP chants that you hear at every Laker game for him.
Need we say more? They guy is I, me and myself. And he is ABOVE NBA League Rules.
LeBron James says 'I ain't playing' in empty arenas if the NBA decides to ban fans amid coronavirus concerns
Pandemic or no pandemic, The King says he'll only play if there are fans watching
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...ecides-to-ban-fans-amid-coronavirus-concerns/
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