Small on-court moments characterize an NBA great like LeBron James greatness more than any statistic, and when they do, they often transcend the game in which they are anchored, becoming a symbol of all his accomplishments.
In the LA Lakers’ 107-97 victory over the Houston Rockets on Saturday, James relished a moment of this kind. He spun around the defense and executed a spectacular 360-degree reverse layup, but he lost sight of the ball and fell to the ground.
But he subsequently told reporters, “The fans let me know that I made it.” “And then my teammates allowed me to see it on the Jumbotron because the technical stoppage of play allowed me to see them running on the floor or doing whatever else they were doing down there.”
Christian Wood received a tech for leaping onto the court from the bench in his delight, as the team and the audience cheered enthusiastically, with some even shaking their heads in shock.
Disbelief and amazement also erupted on social media; some referred to him as a “artist,” while others labeled it “unreal” or “insane.” On the NBA’s X, formerly Twitter, account alone, the moment has gotten over 1.2 million views as of Sunday morning.
Despite everyone’s surprise, there was a feeling of fitting in with normalcy. After all, LeBron is still LeBron, capable of changing games and producing column inches even at the age of nearly 39 and in his 21st NBA season.
And just like the real greats, he can change who he is on the court in moments like this, showing himself to be both LeBron the player and LeBron the icon with all of his dazzling accomplishments.
“That’s exactly what you would expect from him,” coach Darvin Ham stated to the media following the game. “However, what’s most impressive is the phase of his career he’s in.” It seems like he breaks down walls every day.
The Lakers were led to victory by Anthony Davis’ 27 points and 14 rebounds, with James contributing 16 points and seven assists.
“That shot was insane,” Davis remarked. “At this stage in his career, he’s tried everything; he just goes out and tries things, seeing what sticks.”
James later got into a heated argument with Ime Udoka, the head coach of the Rockets, and he was removed.
