PHOENIX – LeBron James ran into the visitors’ locker room at Footprint Center late Friday, crying a little.
But James, who had 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to outlast Kevin Durant and beat the Los Angeles Lakers 122-119 in the season opener, could not suffer a serious injury in the first quarter tonight. Phoenix Day.
LeBron James and Durant engaged in an epic duel with Durant scoring 38 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Durant scored seven points in the fourth, but James found Cam Reddish for an open 3-pointer that gave the Lakers a 118-113 lead with 1:10 remaining in Phoenix.
LeBron James also had to deflect an intentional shot from Durant with 4:22 remaining in the first quarter when Durant’s knee hit LeBron James on the left chin. James had to compose himself for a moment before straightening his chin and stretching out on the bench.
LeBron James said the injury worsened after the game and he was able to walk with a slight limp. The Lakers play Portland at home on Sunday.
“He never lets up,” LeBron James said of Shin. “He was pretty locked in at the time. So I just tried to stay calm, make sure I was in good shape and try to stretch and play and be as effective as possible.
“Edil hurts a lot right now. Of course the adrenaline is calming down and freezing, it hurts a lot right now.”
The Lakers (4-5) came away with the win not only because it was their first playoff game of the season, but because they snapped a three-game losing streak on a four-game road trip.
Coach Darwin Ham made lineup changes to try and bulk up the team, starting with Reddish (17 points) and bringing Austin Reaves off the bench for the first time this season.
“Everyone agreed that we should change the music a little bit,” Ham said. “This is not a letdown for Austin. It’s just a change. If anyone remembers the great San Antonio team where Manu [Ginobili] was the starter. But sometimes you have to put a backup size player in the lineup to balance it out. not completely fall off the cliff. . In the second part you have a balance.”
Reaves and Ham spoke about the move Thursday night. Stickman made 6 of 11 shots and finished with 15 points and seven assists. Reaves has started since March 22 last season.
“I compete,” Reaves said. “Honestly, I don’t want to have that conversation. I want to win as a team to avoid that conversation. But my parents taught me at a young age that the coach is the coach. The decision, whether you agree with it or not, you respect it. That’s it. , I asked. We discussed what we can do to be better as a department. Winning is the key.
“I understand. I saw the writing on the wall. I saw it coming. I didn’t play well. I had a game here. We didn’t play well as a team. Obviously. On top of that, we’re 0-3 on the road so far. We have to shake things up.”
The Lakers made 12 of 27 3-pointers and made some big second chance attempts this time around. In what could have been their biggest possession of the game, the Lakers grabbed three offensive rebounds before hitting James Reddish for a corner 3 to make it 5 with 1:10 left.
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The Lakers outscored the Suns 33-23 and made five three-pointers in the fourth.
“I think we’re crossing paths for the first time as far as this road trip goes,” LeBron James said. “…
We were finally able to make one of those speed shots, and once that opportunity hit, when the floodgates started [in the fourth], guys really started to fall.
“… We came from behind in many of our games and we didn’t get the lead in some of the games we lost. So this is a good feeling.”
At the end of the night, the big Ohio State fan was able to take a little dig at rival Michigan and football coach Jim Harbaugh when asked about Phoenix’s defense.
LeBron James had little resistance at Michigan and Harbaugh was suspended for the remainder of the senior regular season amid an NCAA investigation into the theft of his school number.
“I think we have the knowledge of coach [Frank] Vogel and the coaching staff,” James said of the former Lakers coach when asked about playing against Phoenix’s defense. “We know he’s going to change the defense, and we know there are a lot of defensive packages, schemes. So you can’t read the game and at what point, the first quarter, the second quarter, the third, the fourth, what do they have?
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