After winning Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday, the Los Angeles Lakers were in good shape, and they had an opportunity to put a stranglehold on the series in Game 2 on Wednesday.
Instead, the Grizzlies came out with a greater sense of urgency, not to mention physicality, as they evened the series with a 103-93 win.
LeBron James tried to put the Lakers on his back after they fell behind by 20 early in the third quarter. He played a solid game by his standards with 28 points on 12-of-23 shooting, but Memphis forward Dillon Brooks helped prevent him from taking over the game.
Afterward, Brooks threw some major shade at the four-time MVP by calling him old.
Classic Dillon Brooks on his confrontation with LeBron James: “I don’t care. He’s old. … I poke bears. I don’t respect someone until he gives me 40.”
And Brooks had plenty more to say. pic.twitter.com/uWLONrubPZ
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 20, 2023
James is 38 years of age, but he is still playing at a high level, even if he doesn’t have the same explosiveness he had just three years ago when he won his fourth NBA championship.
Look for James and the Lakers to respond when the series moves to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Saturday.
