The Los Angeles Lakers needed every bit of LeBron James’s vintage performance on Wednesday night, as the 39-year-old ignited a 21-point fourth-quarter comeback.
James scored 19 of his 34 points in the final frame, ultimately outscoring the Los Angeles Clippers (16 points) in the fourth quarter by himself as the Lakers went on to win, 116–112.
The furious comeback is the biggest fourth-quarter deficit James has overcome in his illustrious NBA career. And of the many reactions and comments from teammates and observers, the best may have come from Lakers head coach Darvin Ham.
“He had the cape tucked under his seat on the bench, I guess. It was time for him to whip it out,” Ham told reporters after the game with a laugh. “And he definitely did that—put the cape on and just got aggressive and got in a good rhythm.”
"He had the cape tucked under his seat on the bench... it was time for him to put it on."
— NBA (@NBA) February 29, 2024
- Darvin Ham on what it's like when LeBron goes on a tear pic.twitter.com/Bmmj9X9i5e
James knocked down five three-pointers in the fourth quarter alone and shot 7-of-12 from beyond the arc overall. While the Lakers still have time to attempt to climb the Western Conference standings, as they currently sit in the No. 9 spot, this comeback came at an ideal time.
The victory improved the Lakers’ record to 32-28 on the season. It also leaves them within striking distance of seeds Nos. 5–8 in the West as the season’s stretch run approaches. The Lakers are currently three games behind the No. 5 and 6 seeds, the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans, respectively.
The Clippers dropped to 37–20 with the loss but remain in the No. 4 spot in the West.
