The Lakers defeated Grizzlies on Monday to take a 3-1 series lead in the first round of the postseason in the Western Conference.
It wouldn’t have happened without another clutch performance from LeBron James. The 38-year-old superstar finished the contest against Memphis with 22 points, 20 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 blocks — which included one amazing Dikembe Mutombo finger wag.
But the best moment of the game for LeBron came in the fourth quarter when the Lakers trailed by two points. With just a few seconds left before the final buzzer in regulation, LeBron managed to tie the game at 104-104 connecting on an amazing layup with less than one second remaining on the clock.
LEBRON JAMES TIES IT IN THE FINAL MOMENTS.
MEM/LAL HEADING TO OVERTIME ON TNT 🗣 pic.twitter.com/mSagnUs8NM
— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2023
As noted by FS1’s Nick Wright, this was the seventh time in LeBron’s career that he has hit either a game-tying or game-winning shot in the final second of a playoff game.
Per Wright’s query on Stathead, no other player on record (the database only tracks the past 26 seasons) has ever made more than two shots like these in the postseason.
LeBron James how has SEVEN game winning or game tying shots in the final :01 of playoff games.
No one else in the last 26 years (as far back as the @Stathead database goes) has more than 2.
The most clutch player of his generation & it’s not close or debatable. pic.twitter.com/hOhrJIHXDE
— nick wright (@getnickwright) April 25, 2023
LeBron is also 7-for-12 (58.3 percent) on these opportunities.
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Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Tim Duncan, Nikola Kokic, Steve Nash, Russell Westbrook, and other MVP winners in this era are a combined 6-for-50 (12.0 percent) on these possessions.
LeBron is 7-12 (58%) in his career on game tying/winning field goal attempts in the final :01 of playoff games.
For some context, Kobe, Steph, Durant, Kawhi, Harden, Westbrook, Dirk, Wade, Duncan, Jokic, T-Mac & Nash, other legends/MVPs of his eras are a COMBINED 6-50 (12%) pic.twitter.com/s686wf0Gmp
— nick wright (@getnickwright) April 25, 2023
Read that again and try to let it soak in because it’s hard to process.
Next time you are arguing with someone about whether or not LeBron is truly the greatest of all time, and you think that he deserves that crown, feel free to use this argument.
