The rarely-used celebration of choice, for LeBron James, may have required a metaphorical “dusting off,” but given his role as the late-game hero for a second consecutive night, the 20-time All-Star’s comfort and command in crunchtime, unquestionably, remained as polished as ever. One bucket shy of navigating the Los Angeles Lakers through a competitive back-to-back set, the 40-year-old superstar prepares to match its energy with back-to-back 3-pointers, using first a pick-and-roll, encouraging a switch that presents a more advantageous isolation. Acutely aware of how respected his downhill drives remain, even in Year 22, James turns a could-be attack into an advantage, forcing Yves Missi to subtly retreat before burying a dagger trifecta. The game-clinching bucket encouraged James’ “Silencer” celebration, more frequently seen during his early-2010s South Beach tenure. Perfectly complementing his NBA Cup performance just one day prior, James turned a 15-point deficit into a come-from-behind victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, recording a 21-point, seven-rebound, five-assist, one-steal, two-triple effort on November 16, 2024. · Nov 17, 2024