LeBron James said on March 23 that he was confident in Luke Kennard’s ability to make the decisive three-pointer that secured a win for the Los Angeles Lakers over the Orlando Magic. The Lakers, who were trailing by two points with just 2.6 seconds left, managed to keep their eight-game winning streak alive after Kennard’s successful shot.
The outcome of the game was especially significant as it followed a missed foul call when James attempted a layup. Despite this, the Lakers retained possession and capitalized on their final opportunity. “When I turned and saw who the ball was in his hands on the wide open three, I pretty much knew it was cash,” James said during an interview with Spectrum SportsNet. He added that he quickly reacted after seeing the shot go in and reminded his teammates to focus on defense for the last moments of play.
James also addressed his frustration about not receiving a foul call but acknowledged that things ultimately worked out for his team. “That’s how it’s supposed to go,” he said. “Missed call, obvious missed call, they missed the call. I mean, it turned out the best for us, we was able to hit a 3.” He credited coaches St. Jean and JJ Redick for drawing up effective plays and praised Marcus Smart’s decision-making along with Kennard’s execution.
This victory brings attention to how role players like Kennard can step up at critical moments and contribute significantly to team morale. The Lakers have not had a nine-game winning streak since their championship season in 2019-20.
In addition to securing another win, LeBron James surpassed Robert Parish for most games played in NBA history during this match—a milestone he discussed after helping lead his team through another close contest.
