LeBron James doesn’t believe the Lakers are good enough yet to compete against top teams after ‘tough’ Celtics loss (Image via NBAE)
In a moment that has set social media ablaze, delivered a stunning chase-down block onduring the Los Angeles Lakers – Boston Celtics Christmas matchup. The play, which occurred in a crucial phase of the game, saw James sprinting down the court to deny Tatum a scoring opportunity, leading to a frenzy among NBA fans and analysts.
The incident, however, was only initially celebrated and quickly turned controversial. Referee upon review, overturned the call citing a foul by not LeBron. This decision sparked a heated debate among fans, with many Celtics supporters claiming it was a foul, while Lakers fans seemed to claim that things were not exactly ‘clear.’
Despite the controversy, the play has seemingly gone viral on social, with fans dissecting every angle. LeBron’s athleticism and defensive prowess were on full display, but the subsequent call reversal overshadowed the sheer brilliance of the block.
Led by with 28 points and 11 rebounds, all five starters had at least 18 points for the in their 126-115 Christmas dub. added 25 pointad 19 points and recorded 18 points and 11 assists.
The game was a nail-biter, with Anthony Davis hitting the 40-point mark for the 40th time in a regular season game, and the getting ahead with a Jared Vanderbilt dunk in the third quarter. Despite LeBron James putting up another 16 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, the Lakers still dropped the sixth of their eight games since winning the inaugural In-Season Tournament.
The Lakers-Celtics rivalry, steeped in history, added another chapter with this game. While LeBron’s block will be remembered for its controversy, it also highlights the intense competition and high stakes whenever these two storied franchises meet.
Fans took to Twitter to express their opinions on the block:
Rishabh is a NBA editor at FirstSportz. An ardent lover of sports, Rishabh has more than 6 years of experience in journalism, and has worked for multiple major platforms including Sportskeeda, Valnet, and DualShockers. He is a devoted LA Lakers fan right from the days of Kobe Bryant, and also has high expertise in other major sports including football, Cricket, Lawn Tennis, and eSports. Rishabh takes pride in producing high quality content, is a published novelist, and is always on the lookout for ways to improve himself both as a journalist, and a writer.
