The last time LeBron James was in Cleveland, he hit the game-winning shot for Team LeBron in the All-Star Game. He picked up right where he left off on Monday night when he returned to his former city for the Los Angeles LakersLakers matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He finished with 38 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists on 17-for-29 from the field as he led the Lakers to a 131-120 win — just their fourth since the All-Star break. This was LeBron’s third straight game with at least 35 points and his sixth triple-double of the season.
While his entire performance was impressive, he stole the show late in the second quarter with a thunderous slam over his former teammate, Kevin Love. Cutting hard from the top of the key, LeBron took the pass from Austin Reaves at full speed and launched himself at the rim. Love tried to take a charge, but instead, he just served as a lift for LeBron, who took the contact and elevated even higher.
That was without a doubt one of LeBron’s best dunks of the season, but he admitted after the game that he felt bad about putting Love on a poster. In fact, he doesn’t even want that one to count in his collection.
“When I turned that corner and I looked up I was like ‘no, please Kev just move,'” LeBron said. “He should know once I get that go-go gadget calf muscle going then I’m gonna take off. I hate it had to be him so I’m gonna take that one out of my posters. I didn’t like that one cause that’s my guy.”
Love was able to get him back out of the halftime break, however, as he found LeBron and put him in a joking headlock before play resumed.
Big dunk aside, this was another brilliant all-around game from LeBron. As per usual, he did a little bit of everything, and when the Lakers needed him the most he stepped up to close the show. He had 13 points, three rebounds and four assists in the fourth quarter alone, as the Lakers outscored the Cavs, 35-23, to complete a 14-point comeback win.
After this game, LeBron is now averaging 30 points per game for the season, and has opened up a bit of breathing room in the scoring title race. If he can keep this up, it will be the first time he’s averaged 30 for an entire season since 2008, which also happens to be the last and only time he won the scoring title.
