No 41-year-old has ever been dealt the unfair expectations that LeBron James got handed ahead of Game 6. There was so much yapping out there, loudly proclaiming the all-time great would be removed from potential G.O.A.T. status if the Los Angeles Lakers blew a 3-0 lead to the Houston Rockets. That possibility has officially been put to rest.
Not only did the Lakers win Game 6, but they dominated. Los Angeles comfortably coasted to a decisive 98-78 blowout of Houston on Friday night to wrap up the series with a 4-2 count. James was not only a difference-maker, he was the difference-maker.
James finished with 28 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists in the win. A 10-25 night from the field was not the most efficient performance, but his aggression and activity helped set the tone for the Lakers.
Just like that, trying to disqualify LeBron from a G.O.A.T. debate he clearly belongs in is dead. No one at his age has played this well. No one at his age was tasked with being the best player for his team in a series. No one, other than James himself, could have come out the other end with such an achievement.
LeBron James crushed all comers and padded his GOAT resume
Before this series started, everyone wanted to chalk this up as an easy series for the Rockets. However, in the blink of an eye, the Lakers held a 3-0 lead. The conversation shifted.
NBA media started discussing everything wrong with the Rockets, and not the impact that James was having on the Lakers, or the matchup overall. It's tough to give LeBron his flowers, right? Well, it should not be.
The Lakers forward took a backseat to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves when the team asked him to. As soon as they needed more from him, James was ready.
For the majority of this series, Marcus Smart was the second-best player beside LeBron. There is no slight meant towards Smart here either. The Lakers guard left his fingerprints all over this one. Even so, it was that exact scenario in which most could not envision Los Angeles winning the matchup.
They did. The future Hall of Famer made it work.
James has already done plenty enough for many to consider him the best basketball player to ever step on an NBA court. Winning this series as the first option at 41 years old was always going to be icing on the cake. That added touch does look oh so sweet, though.
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