LeBron James credits Lakers teammates for his 43-point performance in a win against Charlotte Hornets
LeBron James
© Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Led by LeBron James' 43 points, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Charlotte Hornets 121-115 last night to improve to 16-21 on the season.
The purple and gold commanded authority for most of the game before showcasing glimpses of frailty at the defensive end in the fourth quarter which allowed the Hornets to decrease the deficit. However, that still wasn’t enough to steal a win from the Lakers who have now won two straight.
Lebron trusts his teammates
LeBron James has always been vocal about the brotherhood he fosters in his teams, as well as a sense of understanding that helps bring the players on the same wavelength.
During his days with the Heat, James was criticized for being too self-oriented, even though he never did or said anything along those lines. It was James’ critics' words that he used as fuel to reignite his playing skills and give a fitting reply with his actions on the court.
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But even though last night was all about LeBron, the King decided to steer everyone's attention to the Lakers' collective effort that got them a win.
"Keeping my mind fresh, putting in the work," James said about the key to his fountain of youth. "More importantly, trusting your teammates; you know when you are trusting your teammates, then the game will take care of itself.”
"I understand that if AD is out I gotta put more of the scoring load on myself but I still gotta be efficient. In order for me to be efficient, I gotta trust my teammates. They put me in good position to be successful on the floor," LeBron added.
Thomas Bryant, Dennis Schroder, and Austin Reaves all scored above 15 points, which propelled both Lebron and the Lakers toward a big win on the road.
The Lakers believe
The Lakers currently hold the 12th spot in the Western Conference standings. But all is not lost for them, especially if LeBron can keep this level of play until Anthony Davis comes back.
James is trying to do just that by becoming a role model for the young players on the roster and, at the same time, keeping his team afloat. What he's doing at the age of 38 is unprecedented, but getting this team into the playoffs would be an even bigger accomplishment for the 18x All-Star.
