LeBron James shined with 28 points, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a crucial 98-78 victory over the Houston Rockets, which sealed the series with a 4-2 overall score and secured passage to the Western Conference semifinals.
In addition to the points, James also contributed seven rebounds and eight assists, being a key figure in a game where the Lakers convincingly closed the series on the road. The team from Los Angeles had built a 3-0 lead in the series, but had to wait until the sixth game to confirm qualification.
For the locals, the most outstanding was Amen Thompson with 18 points, but this was not enough to avoid elimination.
After the game, the 41-year-old James stressed the importance of experience in such crucial moments. "A lot of our players haven't been in this situation before, especially in the final games and on the road. It was important for me to set the tone for the game," he said.
He added that his mission has remained the same throughout his career: to dominate and share experience with his teammates. “I have the most experience on the team and I know how a series can flow. I try to transmit that confidence to them so they can go out and play freely.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick didn't hold back on his star player. He called James one of the greatest in NBA history, noting that his consistency at the top remains remarkable. James is the first player to play in 23 consecutive NBA seasons and holds the record for the league's all-time leading scorer.
In the semifinals, the Lakers will face the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who dominated the first round with a clean 4-0 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
The series between the Lakers and Thunder begins on Tuesday in Oklahoma, in a duel that is expected to be a real challenge for the team from Los Angeles.
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