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Amazingly, LeBron James gave passing the right signal and saw Rui Hachimura located at the corner, ready for a three-pointer which seemed like a miracle win for the Los Angeles Lakers. This momentous act was the end of James’s non-stop series of 1,200 direct games with at least 10 points, and he accepted this as a personal sacrifice for the team to win. The situation very quickly became a highlight and brought to life the never-ending argument about who amongst the great basketball players was the best clutch shooter.
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Tied with less than ten seconds left, LeBron James dribbled to the basket where he drew three defenders, then made a pass diagonally across the court to the corner where Rui Hachimura was totally alone. Hachimura, who is currently at 47% from the three-point line, did not hesitate and ended the play with a basket as the game clock ran out. The official video shows the exciting finish with the commentator shouting ‘And James gave him the basketball!’ as Hachimura’s shot went in.
This win was crucial for the Lakers in the very tough playoff race. However, even more importantly, by passing the ball, LeBron James put an end to his record of scoring in double figures in every game since January 2007 himself. That is an extraordinary run of over 1,200 games. He chose the easier shot to win rather than a personal milestone, which is indicative of his team-first mentality.
The play brought instant but often conflicting reactions, as is often the case with LeBron. Many people praised the unselfishness of the winning play.
‘That was the right move! mega pass,’ a Lakers fan wrote, summarizing the viewpoint of those who choose IQ in basketball over the glory of the individual. Another one said, ‘We all agree that if LeBron wanted to push his way up for the layup he would have done it easily but he is a team player.’
The financial side of it all was not lost on one bettor who said, ‘I just needed a Rui 3 to win a 20x bet… This is the kind of play that makes you addicted.’ For this person, Hachimura’s steady 3-point shooting was nothing less than a jackpot.
On the other hand, the play also revived the ongoing LeBron James versus Michael Jordan debate. Critics insisted that the legendary players would never pull such a pass.
‘Bad call, lucky. Kobe and Jordan wouldn’t take that,’ a user commented, implying that only true legends get the final shot regardless of circumstances. This led to an intensive exchange of arguments. One user quipped, ‘Jordan wud never have 8 pts with secs to go,’ suggesting that the criticism was unfair given the game’s context.
One commentator offered a more philosophical perspective: ‘LBJ never takes a shot he feels he cannot make, hence he opts to pass. MJ takes the shot because he was not afraid of losing.’ This interpretation views the decision as a difference in competitiveness rather than a fault.
The celebration, or more accurately, the lack of it, was also a point of contention. An eye-witness remarked, ‘Look at LBJ; he did not run to Rui who shot the game winner to celebrate, see where he stands, all by himself with his hands up.’ He contrasted this with how he thought Michael Jordan would have reacted and used it as a point in the ongoing comparison.
Regardless of the argument, the incident was a personal triumph for Rui Hachimura. ‘Japan’s player from Los Angeles team has defeated Toronto on their home ground’ a comment of admiration read, and also highlighted the international character of the game-winner. Another person simply wrote, ‘Hachimura game winner. What a thrilling win for the Lakers.’
People also noted the cinematic quality of the play. One user compared it to the baseball comedy ‘Mr. 3000,’ saying ‘This is like when Bernie Mac bunted with the 3,000th hit on the line because the win just meant more, in Mr. 3000.’ It was a fitting metaphor for LeBron James’ letting go of a huge personal streak for a single team victory.
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At the end of the day, the box score will show a Lakers win and an assist for LeBron James that was the one that won the game. However, the surrounding chat reveals much more about our perceptions of greatness, sacrifice, and the never-ending comparison between eras. For one night in Toronto, the right play was also the most controversial one. The LeBron James Foundation is known for such community-focused gestures. In other sports news, Kevin Hart recently collaborated with LeBron on a major promotion. The play even drew commentary from former NBA analyst Kendrick Perkins, who has discussed LeBron’s influence before. Meanwhile, in the music world, Cam’ron was the subject of a recent feature request.
