Through the first 11 games of the 2023 NBA playoffs, LeBron James played some pretty underwhelming ball by his standards. He was still working his way back from a right foot injury that had sidelined him in late February and March.
He lacked his trademark explosion, and he wasn’t attacking the basket off the dribble, especially in transition, as much as he usually does.
But in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals versus the Golden State Warriors, James looked more like his old self. He attacked early and often, and he didn’t let up even after his Los Angeles Lakers opened a big lead.
In the end, he had 30 points on 10-of-14 shooting, nine rebounds, nine assists, two steals and one blocked shot as L.A. won, 122-101, and advanced to the next round.
After a couple of rough years of purgatory, the Lakers were back in the Western Conference finals, which meant they had a shot at the NBA championship. Although they were swept by the Denver Nuggets, the message was clear: James and the Lakers were back.
