LeBron James was dominant during the first half of Thursday’s NBA in-season tournament semifinals matchup against the Pelicans.
The Lakers star was on fire from the field, and enjoyed a sensational sequence in which he converted on back-to-back-to-back threes.
New Orleans gave James space to pull up from beyond the arc, and he knocked it down with ease. He took a heat check three on the subsequent possession, which was also buried. Finally, the 38-year-old hoisted up a shot from near the logo, and he knocked that one down, too.
Christian Wood and some other Los Angeles teammates on the bench were in disbelief after James’ third straight three, and they could barely contain their excitement as the four-time MVP went to work on the Pelicans’ lackadaisical defense.
LeBron James is ON FIRE, knocking down 3-straight triples in the 2Q 🔥
— NBA (@NBA) December 8, 2023
14 PTS, 5/6 FGM, 3/3 3PM midway through 2 👀
🏀 Pelicans/Lakers on TNT
🏆 Winner faces Pacers in Championship in Las Vegas on Saturday pic.twitter.com/PSGSEhF15b
James could be seen pointing at his arm after draining the last of his three threes, indicating that he has ice in his veins. Anthony Davis could be seen returning the gesture from the bench.
The sequence from James, which occurred at the start of the second quarter, ultimately resulted in a six-point swing, which the Lakers expanded upon in order to enter halftime with a 13-point lead.
With an in-season tournament championship berth on the line, James caught fire at the perfect time for Los Angeles, and his teammates were loving every bit of it.
