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LeBron James scored only two points in the first quarter of Wednesday's game between the LA Clippers and LA Lakers. The Clippers led by 19 points before the Lakers cut it down to 37-24 after 12 minutes. Kawhi Leonard came out like a house on fire, dropping 18 points to tow his team to a big early lead.
Skip Bayless, who rarely fails to watch a Lakers game, tweeted his reaction to the game. It was almost inevitable that James’ name would come up. The longtime sports analyst said after the first quarter:
“The Clippers' No. 2 is beating the no. 2 out of the Lakers.”
The LA Clippers’ No. 2 is none other than Kawhi Leonard who had a sizzling first period.
Bayless considers LeBron James the second-best player on the LA Lakers after Anthony Davis. The “Undisputed” host didn’t have to mention the obvious, as everyone could see how lopsided Leonard’s performance was over James.
Games are not decided after the first 12 minutes, though. The four-time MVP, Davis and the Lakers have more than enough time to turn the game around. LA was 9-22, including 4-11 from deep. They’ve shot worse before but won games.
The LA Lakers, though, know very well how tough the Clippers have been since Ty Lue took over from Doc Rivers in 2020. In the “Hallway Series,” the Clippers have been unbeaten since Lue started coaching them.
LeBron James will have to go toe-to-toe with Kawhi Leonard to give the LA Lakers a chance
Nobody expects LeBron James to struggle throughout the entire game. At some point, he's expected to make an impact. “King James” will need to put on a better performance if the Lakers want to beat the LA Clippers, though.
The Clippers have an 11-game winning streak against the Lakers. James’ Lakers have not won against their rivals since the 2020-21 season. If the four-time MVP wants to change that, he will have to step up, considering how Kawhi Leonard has been playing.
With 5:24 left in the second quarter, LeBron James has increased his tally to eight points and helped cut the deficit to 48-39. Leonard, meanwhile, hasn’t scored a bucket yet in the second quarter.
Skip Bayless may have reacted too soon. James and the Lakers still have a chance of winning the game.
