LeBron James is no longer a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, but he made his mark on the franchise during his eight years with it. He consistently played at a high level during that time, even if certain aspects of his game had clearly slipped, and he delivered an NBA championship in 2020.
As we take a look at James' greatest performances as a member of the Lakers in chronological order, we go back to a game where the Lakers helped to restore the natural order of things in the NBA within Southern California.
Turning the tide against the Clippers
Coming into the 2023-24 season, the Lakers had lost 11 straight games to the Los Angeles Clippers, a franchise they had long dominated in head-to-head matchups throughout the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. On Nov. 1, 2023, they looked to do something
about it.
Early on, it looked like the Clippers would extend their mastery of the Purple and Gold, as they got out to a 37-18 lead late in the first quarter. But then James started to pour it on with 15 points in the second quarter as the Lakers ended the first half down 61-48.
A 19-4 run in the third quarter allowed the Lakers to take the lead. While they blew an eight-point lead with less than two minutes to go in the fourth period, they prevailed in overtime, 130-125.
James finished with 35 points on 13-of-19 field-goal shooting, 12 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and one steal. Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell helped him out with 27 points apiece.
The win improved the Lakers' record to 3-2, and before long, they would rip off 11 wins in a span of 15 games before winning the inaugural NBA Cup over the Indiana Pacers.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: LeBron James' greatest games with the Lakers: Comeback vs. Clippers
