The Red LeBron James Shoes it matched the Santa Claus suit, a special pair for a special game that meant a lot to him in his NBA career.
He leaned back in his socially distant chair, one leg crossed over the other, as he watched his Lakers teammates extinguish a return from the Dallas Mavericks without him. He hit the ball in the last 7 minutes and 19 seconds of the game – a rolled towel that he threw behind the bench with a flick of his wrist.
The work he put in during the previous 31 minutes of cut time combined with the Lakers’ expanded offensive weaponry gave him a chance to watch his team close a 138-115 victory on Friday, the first of the season.
It was, in a way, a perfect night for the Lakers and James. He had to show why he is such a special player on a big stage – throwing lobs, igniting the Lakers’ attack and fueling his fastbreak in front of a national television audience. And he managed to do that without the Lakers asking him to finish the job, helping to keep his minutes low while working back to the pace of his 18th season.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel gave credit to James and Anthony Davis, who were overtaken by Clippers stars Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in the debut, for triggering the big offensive night, with James setting the tone by aggressively attacking the Dallas defense .
James closed the season opener sitting on the bench too – this time with the Clippers moving forward. Friday, the circumstances were more joyful.
He scored 22 points with 10 assists and seven rebounds, the only real hiccup coming from a 15-foot free-throw attempt that was about 14 feet and 6 inches, barely scraping the net.
Davis’ game was working from the inside out, with the Lakers striker hitting kicks from the edge, from the block and, most importantly, from the three point range, where he hit three out of five on his way to a 28 point game .
They had help – a lot of help, actually.
“We have the ability to postpone,” said James in a post-game video conference.
Highlights of the game of the Lakers’ 138-115 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Christmas.
Montrezl Harrell delivered the things he does well – playing with energy and finishing in the basket, even adding a few face-up jumpers during a 22-point game in 10-to-13 shots. He did it skillfully too, wearing feather sneakers in the first half and gaping at the Dallas bench in the second, as his minutes were always of high impact.
And Dennis Schroder, the Lakers’ starting point guard, continued to show the value of adding an additional kick maker on the ground with James and Davis, playing downhill towards the rim while dropping open kicks. Schroder hit seven of 11 shots, scoring 18 points with six assists.
The Lakers dominated the glass, scoring 35 points for a second chance, while preventing Dallas from a single setback.
“We have a very good team,” said Davis frankly.
Vogel said he believed the loss to the Clippers in the debut helped his team perform more sharply on Friday, with the Lakers embracing the movement of the ball and finding the open man almost on the edge. Davis said the team’s filming sessions, which are becoming part of the tradition because of the Lakers’ ability to implement changes without marathon practices, were a big factor.
And then there is the continuation of a simple goal from a year ago. Nobody is undefeated in the NBA, but you can be a team that fights like crazy to avoid a losing streak.
“We are proud that we have not lost two consecutive games,” said Davis.
Obviously, there is still work to be done – 17 spins would have hurt a lot more if the Lakers had not kicked so well (56%). And despite being the focus of his defense, Luka Doncic still scored 27 points to lead the Mavericks.
But there is time to resolve these things and correct the errors that naturally arise throughout the year. Just as Vogel is still evaluating escalations and rotations, it is too early.
But in their first win, the Lakers showed their depth and skill, beating a team that last season had the most efficient attack in NBA history.
“This is what the game asked for. The game required to be well balanced. … We are just moving the ball and going at a great pace, ”said James. “We have the capacity of four, maybe five guys who can score 20 … on any night, as long as we share the ball, as long as we are efficient, as long as we defend.
“It is a beautiful thing to see.”
And that is good news for James, who had the best view watching the fruits of this bank balance.