Howdy, I’m your host, Austin Knoblauch, filling in for Houston Mitchell, who’s probably busy working on his Christmas wish list for next year. Let’s get right to the news.
LeBron James walked through the visiting locker room Christmas afternoon and wondered if there was music playing inside the Chase Center.
As a DJ bumped early 2000s Ludacris near the hoop the Lakers were warming up on, James broke routine to dance and smile.
As much as any player in the league before or after, James is aware of the stage. And even after doing it 18 previous times over 21 seasons, a spot on the court Christmas evening with everyone watching hit him like a triple espresso.
Facing Stephen Curry and the Warriors in a big game? Old news for James, who competed against one of his biggest rivals in five different playoff series (and one play-in game).
But in the context of this season, with James days away from his 40th birthday, he looked like someone intent on savoring things.
He embraced Curry pregame, the two Olympic teammates from the summer still enjoying that experience. He ran onto the court after halftime, stopping at the end of the tunnel to playfully dance to “Not Like Us” with Chase Center security. And during the action, he delivered an age-defying performance for the unexpectedly shorthanded Lakers in a 115-113 win against the Warriors with timely help from Austin Reaves.
