LeBron James might not be present for the Utah Jazz vs Los Angeles Lakers tonight, but he makes sure to catch all the live action. With the game nearing the end, James had taken to X (formerly Twitter), to post words of encouragement for his team! This is coming just hours after there was chaos on the news that Bron might be moving to San Francisco.
But he had doused water on all of it when he reiterated his decision to stay with his Lakers! But that’s not all. James couldn’t contain his excitement as Rui Hachimura took over the game like a storm with his 36 points (a career-high), just behind Anthony Davis’ 39!
Bron tweeted his appreciation by calling Hachimura “lil bro”. He continued with, “Lil bro going CRAZY tonight!!!!! YEEEAAAHHHH RUUUUUU”
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Lil bro going CRAZY tonight!!!!! YEEEAAAHHHH RUUUUUU🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) February 15, 2024
The Japanese native has had a rough season this time. Injuries led to inconsistent minutes and not finding a place in the lineups for the 26-year-old. But with Jarred Vanderbilt, Cam Reddish, and Max Christie sidelined, it seems that Hachimura is finally able to find his footing.
And that was what the crowd at the Delta Center saw tonight. Aside from setting a new career high, Rui also had a career-best six three-pointers tonight. It’s safe to say that Rui Hachimura was unstoppable. It also seems like Davis and James’ hope and faith in the young forward came true.
LeBron James and AD had predicted great things from “lil bro” Rui
Earlier this month, the ‘Akron Hammer’ had spoken positively about their new starting five. With Vando out for the season, the Purple & Gold needed to find another big to take his place. And Darvin Ham turned to Hachimura. Clearly, as we saw tonight, it has paid dividends.
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But James already saw the 6’8 Gonzaga product for what he could give the team. After the February 6 game vs the Hornets, James said, “Rui works well with us and we’re just trying to find him, especially when he’s running out and has early seals in the post or whatever the case may be.”
Davis also had a similar opinion. He gave props to Rui’s rebounding and finishing skills. AD also drew attention to the fact that the opposing teams will look to put bigger guys on himself and Bron. Given that Russ and Reaves are also threats to look out for, the teams will have good defenders on them, too.
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That leaves Hachimura with a smaller guy. And that’s an aspect that the Lakers could use to their advantage. Clearly, their hopes were not in vain. Can Hachimura continue this production to the playoffs? Let us know your thoughts below!
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