LeBron James Credits Teammate’s Role in Shutting Down MVP Contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Thunder Win

The Los Angeles Lakers and NBA’s Mr. 40,000 LeBron James pulled off an astonishing victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on 4 March 2024, bringing them down from number one to two in the West. The Lakers displayed one of their best defensive performances of the season, as they limited the NBA’s 3rd best offensive team to just 104 points. Moreover, the Lakers effectively contained MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, holding him to just 20 points, his lowest scoring output in the past 20 games.

25-year-old guard Austin Reaves played an instrumental role in nullifying the threat of SGA. With Reaves as his primary defender, Shai shot 5-13 from the field and 1-2 from beyond the arc. Apart from his stellar defensive performance, Reaves also recorded 16 points, along with 7 dimes and 6 boards.

After the Lakers’ stunning victory over the Thunder, LeBron James commended Reaves for his exceptional defensive performance against the Thunder, and Shai in particular. He said, “He (Reaves) just took the challenge. Obviously, Shai is one of the best players that we have in our league. So, you just try not to put him to the free-throw line. Cause that’s where he gets a lot of his points from.”

Apart from Reaves, D’Angelo Russell (26 points) and Anthony Davis (24 points and 12 rebounds) also chipped in with important contributions. However, it was the exceptional supporting performance of LeBron James that laid the foundation for the Lakers’ victory. He nearly recorded a triple-double, registering 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists in the game. At 39, LeBron still remains the Lakers’ best clutch player. Over the last 15 games, James has averaged 26.2 points, 9.2 assists and 6.7 rebounds. With LeBron James stepping up just at the right moment, do the Lakers have a chance to win the 2024 NBA title?

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Can LeBron James lead the Lakers to the 2024 NBA title?

The Los Angeles Lakers currently occupy the 9th spot in the Western Conference standings, with 34 wins from 63 games. An improvement in recent performances and results means that they are within touching distance of a guaranteed playoff spot. However, the Lakers have the 8th most difficult set of fixtures left in the league, according to Strength of Schedule (SOS) rankings.

If the Lakers manage to navigate through their challenging schedule and secure a playoff berth, they would pose a significant challenge to any opponent. In fact, the Lakers have the number on the OKC Thunder. In four meetings between the two teams, the Lakers have won three games. Recently, even 3x NBA Champ James Worthy analyzed the Lakers’ performance after their OKC win and said that no team would want to face them in the playoffs.  What are your thoughts? Can the Lakers win the 2024 NBA title? Let us know in the comments below!

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