NBA Exec Thinks Deandre Ayton Will Benefit The Most From LeBron James Being Back For Los Angeles Lakers
NBA legend LeBron James made his season debut for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Utah Jazz.
Not only did the Lakers beat the Jazz to improve to 11-4, but James also recorded a double-double in 29 minutes of action.
The leading scorer in NBA history put up 11 points and 12 assists while shooting 4-of-7 from the field, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 2-of-4 from the free-throw line.
James found Deandre Ayton for multiple effortless baskets, something an Eastern Conference executive expected to happen.
“Deandre Ayton should benefit the most out of LeBron James back,” one Eastern Conference executive told ESPN. “LeBron makes people look good. [He’ll feed Ayton] lobs and dump-offs at the rim.”
Ayton had a terrific game against the Jazz. He had 20 points and 14 rebounds in 30 minutes and shot 10-of-13 from the field, getting easy looks all night thanks to James and Luka Dončić.
“Just thought he played with the right spirit. Very unselfish all night. Was a willing passer, didn’t force it, took his drives and his shots when they were there,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said about James. “The defense is going to pay attention to him, particularly when he has the ball in the post, particularly when he’s putting pressure on the rim, and I just thought he made a lot of great decisions tonight. Really good to have him back.”
The Lakers face the Jazz again on Sunday, giving James ample time to rest and recover. The future Hall of Famer is 40 years old. He’s the oldest active player in the NBA.
James turns 41 in December. He missed the first 14 games of the season because of sciatica on his right side.
“The pace tested me, but I was happy with the way I was able to go with the guys,” James said. “As the game went on, my wind got a lot better. Caught my second wind, caught my third wind. Rhythm is still coming back, obviously. First game in almost seven months, so everything that happened tonight was to be expected.”
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