James family connection plays role in Lakers’ Game 3 victory
Steve Helwick
Host · Writer
HOUSTON — The Los Angeles Lakers made a math-defying escape Friday night in Houston to manufacture a 3-0 first round series lead over the Rockets. Houston possessed the ball with under 30 seconds remaining while clinging onto a 6-point lead, but Lakers cashed in two late steals for six points, forcing overtime in their eventual 112-108 road triumph.
The defining moment of the playoff thriller transpired with 13.1 seconds remaining when LeBron James perfectly swished the game-tying three immediately after forcing a Rocket turnover. It was merely another entry to James’ laundry list of iconic playoff moments over a 23-year career.
But that 25-foot three-pointer from the wing will not be the play the 41-year-old veteran remembers most fondly from the Game 3 victory in Houston. Instead, it was a second-quarter sequence that he shared with his own namesake.
Given the Lakers’ shorthandedness at guard down Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, head coach JJ Redick inserted Bronny James into the lineup to start the second quarter, giving the 21-year old meaningful rotation minutes alongside his father. Such a moment can be difficult even for the NBA’s oldest player to compartmentalize, as the intensity of playoff basketball suddenly intersects with fondness of family.
“There are many moments that happen over the course of the game,” LeBron said. “In a postseason game, I’m always super locked in. And over the last three games, there have been many moments where I kind of locked out. And all those moments have been with Bronny.”
Despite the emotions of the moment for the James family, the shared LeBron and Bronny minutes went swimmingly for the Lakers. In the middle of the period with Bronny as the ball handler, LeBron sealed off Rockets small forward Jae’Sean Tate. Rockets point guard Reed Sheppard then went under the screen to provide Bronny an open three. The second-year player saw the opportunity and capitalized for his first career playoff points.
After a subsequent defensive stand, LeBron snagged a rebound, pushed the ball to the 3-point line, and then tossed a lob to Bronny. The younger James corralled it in midair and finished with a smooth reverse layup, extending the Lakers’ lead to 52-40. To no surprise, it was the first father-to-son assist in the history of the NBA Playoffs.
When overtime concluded, LeBron checked out with team-highs of 29 points and 13 rebounds, in addition to contributing the game-defining shot. Despite delivering such heroics on the playoff stage, his eyes lit up in a different fashion postgame when speaking about Bronny’s 5-point performance.
“He just keeps getting better and better,” LeBron said. “For him to come in — you see the five points — but it’s his attention to detail, his defensive mindset, and his prowess on the ball guarding and defending.”
The No. 55 overall pick in 2024, Bronny remains on a journey to earn consistent rotation minutes at the NBA level. But his own father believes the positive playoff experience accrued in Friday night’s victory — even for a brief nine minutes — can work wonders for his blossoming career.
“The amount of confidence that a young kid in our league can get from a postseason game — you’d never get nervous from a regular season moment ever again when you play meaningful postseason games and postseason minutes,” LeBron said. “He’s done that, and I think that’s pretty cool for his career and for his confidence.”
