Veteran analyst slams LeBron James after Austin Reaves hits game-winner (Photos from @skipbayless, @kingjames/ IG)
LeBron James and the LA Lakers secured a thrilling Christmas Day road victory, defeating the Golden State Warriors 115-113 thanks to a game-winning play by Austin Reaves. While James led the Lakers in scoring, he still faced criticism from outspoken commentator Skip Bayless.
Reaves emerged as the Lakers’ savior, sinking two clutch free throws and hitting the game-winner shot to overshadow Steph Curry’s late-game heroics.
After the win, Bayless took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize LeBron James, writing:
“LEBRON WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT LAST-SECOND SHOT. HID UP AGAINST DRAYMOND. TELL ME IM WRONG,” he wrote.
James capped off his scoring night with a 3-pointer at the 2:28 mark, giving him 31 points and pushing the Lakers’ lead to 107-99. Shortly after, he assisted Max Christie on a cutting layup to extend the lead further.
However, Curry responded with two pivotal 3-pointers during a 13-4 Warriors run, tying the game at 113. On the Lakers’ final possession, Reaves isolated Andrew Wiggins while Draymond Green’s tight defense prevented James from receiving the ball.
LeBron James ended the night with 31 points and 10 assists, while Reaves recorded a triple-double of 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Anthony Davis, however, played just seven minutes as he exited the game early with an apparent ankle injury, managing only two rebounds and missing all three of his field-goal attempts. Rui Hachimura and Max Christie contributed 18 and 16 points, respectively, while Dalton Knecht added 13 off the bench.
Where does LeBron James’ 19th Christmas Day game rank among his top-scoring performances on the holiday?
LeBron James made history in his record-breaking 19th Christmas Day game on Wednesday, earning his 11th holiday victory and surpassing former teammate Dwyane Wade’s previous record for most wins on Dec. 25.
His 31-point performance tied for fifth among his highest-scoring games on Christmas Day. James’ career-best on Christmas came in 2021, when he dropped 39 points as the Brooklyn Nets defeated his Lakers.
In 2022, he followed that up with 38 points in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks. His third-highest Christmas scoring performance also came against the Mavericks, with 37 points in 2011 during a Miami Heat victory.
In 2003, during his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, James scored 34 points against the Orlando Magic.
In 2016, during his second stint with the Cavaliers, he matched his 31-point total against the Golden State Warriors in a thrilling 109-108 win. This year, he once again posted 31 points in another memorable clash against the Warriors.
