LeBron James credited his preparation and team support for his performance in Los Angeles’ 128-121 win over Memphis on Friday. “I felt pretty good about how I felt physically and mentally. So, try to get what I got,” he said regarding his approach after his recent 41st birthday.
James praised the impact of his teammates, particularly Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart. “Jake was locked in from the beginning. Marcus on both ends of the floor, obviously taking the challenge on guard and jaw, but then just him rebounding the ball, sharing the ball, him scoring the ball as well,” he said.
On LaRavia’s key corner three in the fourth quarter, James emphasized the guard’s work ethic. “He’s out of the rotation for about 12 games and he’s shooting close to 50% since he came back… he’s put a lot of work in every day at practice just shooting that same shot,” he explained.
James highlighted LaRavia’s versatility. “He does a little bit of everything. His rebounding, his offense rebound, gives us extra possessions… his athleticism helps us,” he said, noting how those contributions aid the team beyond scoring.
Reflecting on his and Luka Doncic’s offensive flow, James said, “We were just playing in rhythm… Luka did a great job getting to the free throw line, also mixing in a couple mid-range shots… I was just trying to be consistent and be super efficient with my play.” Both stars scored 30 or more points for the first time since March.
James credited balanced shooting and defensive stops for the win. “We made some big-time plays offensively. Guys made some big-time shots… then defensively, we were able to get a couple stops, get a couple rebounds that allowed us to kind of start pushing the lead up,” he said.
He also noted the chemistry with Doncic. “Luka found it was like a 70-foot outlet pass… one of the best quarterbacks and I’m pretty good receiver. It put it on time on target and made it a lot easier for me,” James said, explaining how instinctive teamwork created scoring opportunities.
On finishing in the paint from multiple angles, James referenced a source of inspiration. “I watched Randy Moss a lot growing up… when you have that seal, finishing in the paint from all different angles… it’s just about having the ability to go left, go right, jumper, floater, jump hook,” he said.
James also praised his supporting cast, pointing to LaRavia, Marcus Smart, and Jarred Vanderbilt for stepping up. “They were out there making plays, crashing the boards, defending with toughness, and that takes pressure off,” he said.
