Lakers News: How LeBron James Feels About First-Time Playoff Moment In LA
In the midst of his fifth season with your Los Angeles Lakers, All-Star small forward LeBron James has now worn the purple and gold longer than he was ever on the Miami Heat (four years) or was teammates with Kyrie Irving on the Cleveland Cavaliers (three years), but he's still about to reach a first-time benchmark with the club.
Saturday's Game 3 matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies in their best-of-seven first round series will mark the first time the 19-time All-Star will suit up for a home playoff game at Crypto.com Arena with a full crowd.
His team missed the playoffs during his inaugural 2018-19 LA season (thanks in large part to major injuries to James and Rajon Rondo), the Lakers won their 17th title with James as Finals MVP while in a Disney World "bubble" due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, coronavirus restrictions mandated limited crows (8,500 capacity tops) at Crypto.com Arena during the team's first round series matchup against the Phoenix Suns, and of course last year at 33-49 Los Angeles just wasn't good enough to make the postseason at all.
To be fair, this year, the Lakers did already play one postseason bout with a full home crowd, but that 108-102 overtime battle was merely a pre-playoffs play-in game, not a proper playoff matchup.
Sitting next to Davis to field reporter questions following a disappointing 103-93 loss to a Memphis Grizzlies team missing Ja Morant, Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke, James turned to his fellow future first ballot Hall of Famer Anthony Davis to reflect on the impending moment, their Saturday Game 3 matchup at home.
"I believe this is our first game at the house [with a full crowd], huh? Ain't it?" James observed. "First time. So, I'm excited for that."
The series is currently knotted at 1-1. The Lakers have the health advantage on paper, although James sure seems bothered by lingering pain to the semi-healed tendon tear that may need offseason surgery.
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