LeBron James was absolutely dominant in the Round of 16 of the NBA regular season tournament.
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar put together consecutive 30-point nights to lead the team to the finals against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night.This seasonal tournament is something completely different than anything the league has ever had. It’s not quite the playoffs, but it’s certainly bigger than the average regular season game. The last four remaining teams arrived in Las Vegas in something that could be compared to the NCAA Final Four. Of course, LeBron never had the chance to play in the March Madness tournament and the Lakers star admitted that it’s something similar for him.“It’s funny, my coach said, ‘You know, one thing you haven’t done in your 21-year career is get to the Final Four,’ before the game started today. I giggled a little,” LeBron said. “I played in high school. I went to the state championship every year, all four of my years. But once you get into the postseason, it’s win or go home, and you can’t lose, or that’s it.“I had that experience, but it was definitely magnified, being an NBA player, what’s at stake and stuff like that. I guess you can say that.The in-season tournament is NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s latest creation, and the Lakers had great success with his previous tournament as well. Of course there was the bubble where the Lakers won the 2020 NBA championship. And during the Play-In tournament, the Lakers also won 2-0. This was not lost on LeBron, who still considers the 2020 championship his greatest achievement.“Well, we succeeded with the first two. Where I put it, the bubble is obviously one. We won a championship. But we also had the opportunity to participate in play-in games. I think we had two last year – one against Golden State and one against Minnesota – and we won both to give us a nod to the postseason. And that’s been good for us so far.«We have to finish breakfast on Saturday. This is the most important thing. But like I said, yeah, it’s pretty good. Adam, like I said, what was that, yesterday I said Adam is a genius. He’s doing great, that’s for sure.”James and the Lakers have benefited from Silver’s creations and will have another chance to add to their legacy on Saturday. Another thing that seems likely under this Adam Silver regime in the NBA is expansion, and Las Vegas seems like a prime candidate. This is something James is committed to when he declared the city a sports city.”Yes, absolutely. I mean, it’s crazy to say this, but Las Vegas is a sports town,” the Lakers star said. “You look at the Aces and you look at the hockey team, you look at the Raiders. I heard the A’s are coming here soon. It’s clear that Summer League has been here for years. We just had F1 here over Thanksgiving. I mean, it’s a sports town. I hope I can bring my franchise here one day. It’s the ultimate.“Yes, they know what they see. They show a lot of support. The sport is huge here at the moment and they definitely support their clubs here. That’s for sure.”Are you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive event reports, catch live broadcasts and much more!
Leave a Reply