LeBron James says ‘LET’S FIGHT’ after beating Kevin Durant’s Phoenix Suns in race to $500,000 cash prize

The Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns to advance to the Semifinals of the NBA Inaugural In-Season Tournament.

LeBron James says ‘LET’S FIGHT’ after beating Kevin Durant’s Phoenix Suns in race to $500,000 cash prize

LeBron James and Kevin Durant (Via Open Source/X)

In the quarterfinals of the NBA’s In-Season Tournament, the Los Angeles Lakers, led by LeBron James, triumphed over the Phoenix Suns 106-103 at the Crypto.com Arena in a closely contested match. Recording 31 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists, James showcased an outstanding performance.

Meanwhile, the Suns’ Kevin Durant matched with 31 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Following this, the Lakers will journey to Las Vegas, set to compete against the New Orleans Pelicans for a spot in the final and a lucrative prize of $500k per player.

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Addressing the media post-victory, James emphasized that the opportunity to compete provides both him and his team with a clear purpose and motivation to fight.

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We have an opportunity to compete for something, so why not? You've got the greatest competitors in the world fighting for something, so let's fight!

At the age of 38, LeBron continues to be a formidable presence, evident in his recent stellar performance for the Lakers. Looking ahead to Thursday’s matchup against the Pelicans, James aspires to augment his trophy collection with another title. His current season averages stand at an impressive 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game.

Controversy struck in Lakers-Phoenix game

In a contentious turn of events during the In-Season tournament victory against the Suns, LeBron James secured a pivotal timeout in a critical moment. The incident unfolded with 11.2 seconds remaining on the clock following an inbounds play. James, who had inbounded the ball to Austin Reaves from the baseline under the Lakers’ basket, occurred with the score standing at 105-103.

Devin Booker is disheartened because of the bad call, as the Suns are controversially eliminated from the In-Season Tournament after giving a tough fight
Devin Booker against the Lakers (The Athletic)

Subsequently, Devin Booker contested Reaves, leading to the Lakers shooting guard losing control of the ball. In this crucial moment, LeBron James promptly called for a timeout, a request that was ultimately granted by referee Tom Washington. Replays revealed that the official lacked a clear view of the events unfolding on the opposite side of the court.

The Suns incurred a significant cost due to this error, as Suns guard Grayson Allen was deprived of a potential opportunity to capitalize. Despite the controversy, the Lakers ultimately secured a 106-103 victory. Notably, the play was deemed ineligible for a replay review or reversal.

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