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Takeaways from LeBron’s 56-Point Night Plus a Sharp Betting Angle for Lakers-Spurs

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The King has spoken. LeBron’s 56-point effort against the Warriors Saturday night was the 3rd-most points James has scored in one game over his entire career.

56 points – that’s more points in one game than 164 different NBA players have this season! That’s right, there are 164 players in the scorebooks this year – Markelle Fultz, Isaiah Thomas, Jabari Parker, Bol Bol, and Tacko Fall to name a few – who have yet to surpass the 56-point mark (per Stathead).

Saturday’s offensive explosion makes James the 2nd-highest scoring player in the NBA this season. That one game bumped his season PPG total up 0.4 points – passing Giannis “The Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo.

LeBron was forced to elevate his game Saturday night and “put on a show” because he noticed Super Bowl champion Matthew Stafford and his wife Kelly were in attendance. Turn up your volume to hear this exchange:

If that’s all it takes, the Lakers need to hook the Stafford family up with season courtside tickets ASAP.

On two separate occasions the Warriors built a double-digit lead and attempted to pull away. LeBron was having none of it – burying 3 pointer after 3 pointer to keep his team and their season alive.

James buried 6 of 11 from deep – the most 3-pointers the King has netted in a single game since December of last season at Memphis. 6 was the most 3-pointers LeBron had connected on at home since February of 2020.

As seen in this awesome graphic by NBAShotCharts, LeBron either took it right at Golden State or sat back on the left wing and hurt them from deep. The King attempted 4 mid-range jumpers in the contest – missing on all of them.

This clip gives a vintage look at LeBron’s favorite spot to chuck those 3s … and contains another Stafford cameo.

This win could not come at a better time for the King and his Lakers. LA was weathering a 4-game losing streak following the All-Star Break. Their record had slipped to 27-35. Not only was navigating their way out of the play-in tournament looking unlikely but their spot in the top 10 was in jeopardy.

LA caught the Warriors at a good time as the Dubs were mired in a 3-game losing streak of their own. It was a classic matchup of two teams who needed a win. For Golden State, it was morale-focused. For the Lakers, it was the right to continue breathing.

Beating a top team – a championship-caliber team – is just what the doctor ordered for the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron finally being paid off for his efforts with a victory was much needed for his sanity.

What a relief from distraction! This 56-point game changes the narrative around the Lakers from a mismatched collage of washed stars to an up-and-coming team looking to build on a breakthrough performance.

What This Win Means Moving Forward for the Los Angeles Lakers

I’ve gone public with my belief that LA has the potential to contend for the 2022 NBA championship. This team has too much talent, too many legacies at stake, and too many resources to not turn this thing around.

The Lakers were in desperate need of a catalyst to spark change. Those can come in one of two forms – negative or positive.

A negative catalyst is when something so bad happens that you need to make a big change. Think the inevitable benching of Russell Westbrook.

While efficacious, negative catalysts have side effects – distention, distraction, jealousy – to name a few.

Just as powerful and a million times better for morale is a positive catalyst – like knocking off one of the league’s premier franchises in come-from-behind fashion. 

This huge W is a bright spot in a bleak stretch of the season. It is a reminder of what the Lakers are capable of should they show up ready to dominate.

In addition, this game could easily serve as the 2-7 matchup in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Can you say “preview”?

It is not enough to internally reiterate that you could possibly, maybe beat those other guys when it matters. You need to prove it! This win proves for LeBron and all of the Lakers that they are not dead.

As a low seed, their first-round matchup will be their toughest. Beating a likely first-round opponent in thrilling fashion on a night when Golden State didn’t play badly will do wonders for the Lakers’ collective confidence and drive moving forward.

A close win – like Saturday night’s – is more telling than if the Lakers had stomped out the Warriors by 40. Taking Golden State’s best shot and going blow for blow in a playoff atmosphere provides invaluable combat experience for a Lakers core yet to play together a full season.

The Best Bet in Monday’s Lakers-Spurs Matchup

After LeBron goes off, bet against him in the 1st half of the following game.

USA Today

I know, I know – I just got done praising the Lakers for turning the corner and now I’m saying to bet against them. You don’t have to take the Spurs to win the game. In fact, you shouldn’t take the Spurs to win the game.

I like San Antonio’s spread in the first quarter (-1) against the Lakers. I could also get behind the Spurs’ halftime spread (-1.5). Betting the Spurs to lead at any point after that is pure gambling – not backed by history.

In March of 2014, LeBron (then a member of the Heat) dropped 61 on the Bobcats – his highest total ever. The King followed this career performance with a disappointing 22-point effort in Houston – a game in which the Heat trailed by 7 after the 1st quarter and by 1 point at half.

LeBron’s 2nd-highest scoring output came in November of 2017 as a member of the Cavs. The King dropped 57 in a win at Washington and then scored just 26 in a loss to the Hawks the following game. Atlanta led this contest by 9 points after both the 1st and 2nd quarters.

In March 2005, a young LeBron went off for 56 points at Toronto. The following game, his Cavaliers beat Detroit by 15 but did not start playing well until the 2nd half. Detroit led the game 47-45 at the halfway mark.

It appears LeBron’s team suffers a short “hangover” following huge performances by the King. Perhaps his teammates are afraid to mess up after such an amazing night.

 

Perhaps his teammates are out of rhythm after an entire game of standing around and watching LeBron pour in bucket after bucket.

Regardless of the reason, the numbers don’t lie and that’s why I’ll be all over the Spurs first quarter spread (-1) tonight in San Antonio.

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