LeBron James gave the Los Angeles Lakers a great performance on Friday night to defeat the struggling Memphis Grizzlies, even though it shouldn’t have been necessary.

James took control in the second half of what should have been a blowout game but went down to the wire. He finished with 37 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and two steals, one of which he used to clinch the victory. James completed the game with a reverse slam in transition.

James talked about turning it on in the second half of a crucial game after the victory, acknowledging how close the standings are.

James remarked, “I’m just trying to get my teammates excited about trying to grasp what the situation is right now.” “We all knew going into the game that there would be a three-way tie between Sacramento, Golden State, and us. Many ramifications are present. Those games will obviously unfold as they unfold, and it will take care of themselves. However, we must look after ourselves, and I believe that we weren’t playing with enough urgency. I so simply attempted to see if I could increase my defensive intensity, persuade them to alter their pace, and see if my guys

Having played in as many playoff games as he has, LeBron understands the need for the Lakers to climb up as high in the standings as they can to get the best seed possible. “Of course it matters. Every game matters, every seed matters,” James added. “But however you fall, wherever you fall, you can’t play in the past. But absolutely, I can’t sit here and say I’d much rather be where we are today than the one seed. That would be a lie. So of course seeds matter, but wherever you fall, you take that challenge.”