LeBron James (L) and Luka Dončić
LeBron James praised the “generational” ability of teammate Luka Dončić after the Slovenian star delivered a dramatic overtime winner to help the Los Angeles Lakers defeat the Denver Nuggets 127–125.
Dončić produced a standout performance, recording 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds to secure his eighth triple-double of the season. The 27-year-old sealed the victory with a step-back jump shot with just 0.5 seconds left on the clock, completing a remarkable comeback for the Lakers.
James was quick to celebrate his teammate’s decisive moment, describing the game-winning shot as the work of a special talent.
“Just a big-time shot by a generational player,” James said. “He’s just a big-time player, man. It’s going to be just the first of many game winners like that for him in a Lakers uniform.”
Austin Reaves led the Lakers in scoring with 32 points, while Marcus Smart added 21 points and five steals. James also made an important contribution, finishing with 17 points in 40 minutes as the Lakers extended their winning streak to five games and climbed to third place in the Western Conference.
The veteran forward also produced a crucial defensive effort late in the game, diving to the floor to stop Denver from securing an offensive rebound with just over 50 seconds remaining. Lakers head coach JJ Redick said it was a play he had never witnessed from James in his 23-year professional career.
Reflecting on the moment, James said his instinct came from lessons learned early in his basketball journey.
“I think all of us have heard it from our coaches when we were little: the first man to the floor usually gets the ball,” he said.
Redick expressed satisfaction with the team’s overall performance but stressed there is still room for improvement. “We still have got a long way to go, but we are certainly optimistic with how we handled this stretch of games,” he said.