Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks on in the second half against the Portland Path Blazers of an NBA game at Crypto.com Area. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Photographs
LeBron James’ first string of consecutive games since turning 40 will conclude Friday when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Atlanta Hawks in the NBA.
If Thursday’s 114-106 win over the Portland Path Blazers was any indication, James is ready to take on the challenge without a hitch. He scored 38 points and tied Michael Jordan for the most 30-point games in NBA history with 562.
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Adding to James’ challenge was that his star teammate Anthony Davis was out with a sprained left ankle. Davis, who sprained his ankle on Christmas Day in a game against the Golden State Warriors, could return Friday.
James was aggressive from the start, even as he started the first of two games in two days.
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“You have a guy out that is averaging over 25 points, with rebounds and blocks, AD is our No. 1 and No. 2 option, so when he’s out, you have to step up your game, including me,” James said. . “I think everyone collaborated in that sense.”
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James’ 10 attempts from 3-point range were his third most this season. He made seven of them, the best of the season.
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“I like it when he’s a willing 3-point shooter,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “…We want him aggressive (and) ready to shoot from three as much as we want him to come downhill and put pressure on the rim.”
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Also stepping into Davis’ void was Max Christie, who scored a career-high 28 points and made 5 of his 9 attempts from long range. Austin Reaves continues to adjust to his expanded offensive role, posting 11 assists with 15 points.
Christie will be in the spotlight again on Friday, but more for his effective play on defense while helping protect the Hawks’ Trae Younger. At 22.3 points per game, Younger’s scoring average is his lowest since his rookie season in 2018-19, but he has surpassed that average in six of his last seven games.
Younger is coming off a 30-point performance Wednesday in a 139-120 road loss to the Denver Nuggets. De’Andre Hunter added 20 points off the bench as Atlanta saw its four-game winning streak come to an end by shooting 16 of 46 (34.8 percent) from 3-point range.
The Hawks were without Bogdan Bogdanovic (leg contusion) and Jalen Johnson (shoulder soreness). Injuries left a pair of double-digit scorers on the bench, but it was with transition defense where Atlanta missed Johnson.
“There will always be players out,” Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said, according to the Atlanta Journal-Structure. “Obviously, Jalen is a good player, but really, if we had urgency in the (defensive) transition, anyone can do it. That was where we didn’t need to leave urgently.”
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Friday’s game is the third of Atlanta’s six-game road trip. It’s a rematch of Los Angeles’ 134-132 overtime victory in Atlanta on Dec. 6, when Younger had 31 points and 20 assists, his second most in a game this season. James had a triple-double in the victory, scoring 39 points with 11 assists and 10 rebounds. –Media at field level
