The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t lost an in-season tournament game yet and LeBron James told reporters after the Portland Trail Blazers win on November 17 that he and his teammates “know what’s at stake.”
The players on the team that win the NBA Cup each get $500,000 in prize money.
“I think it’s an incentive for sure. Early in the season, when you are playing the in-season tournament, so we understand what’s at stake,” LeBron said. “It’s not something we’re putting all our eggs in one basket in the in-season tournament. But we know when the games come, every Tuesday and Friday, we know what it’s about, we know what’s at stake. So, it’s been good for us so far.”
The Lakers have beaten the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies and Blazers in their three in-season tournament games. They have one more left against the Utah Jazz on November 21.
LeBron went off against the Blazers. The King finished with 35 points, five rebounds and nine assists in 34 minutes while shooting 13-of-22 from the field, 5-of-9 from beyond the arc and 4-of-6 from the free-throw line.
“He shot the ball extremely well tonight,” Lakers big man Anthony Davis said about LeBron. “He was in a great rhythm, especially from 3. Made some huge plays, big-time shots for us, the kind that just slowed them down.”
The 38-year-old LeBron is now averaging 25.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists on the season. He is still one of the best players in the league despite being the oldest player in the association.
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