LeBron James’ First Father-Daughter Road Trip Ends in 129-101 Lakers Victory Over Warriors
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The Los Angeles Lakers snapped a three-game slide Saturday, defeating the Golden State Warriors 129-101 at Chase Center in San Francisco and giving LeBron James a win on the first father-daughter road trip of his 23-year NBA career.
James, 41, walked off the court holding hands with 11-year-old Zhuri, calling her “a good luck charm” as the team moved to 1-0 with her on the road. Los Angeles had dropped its previous three contests — a 111-89 blowout in Boston, a botched final possession against Orlando and a missed last-second shot versus an undermanned Phoenix squad after surrendering a double-digit lead.
The atmosphere shifted before tipoff. At the team hotel, players sang “Happy Birthday” to Luka Doncic and presented a cake designed like a split basketball jersey, half in Lakers colors and half in the colors of the Slovenian national team. Inside the arena, Zhuri joined pregame drills, dribbling with her father, sinking a behind-the-back free-throw-line trick shot and tossing him a lob for a dunk.
“I miss a lot of moments with my kids because of my career,” James said. “Any time I get moments with them, it’s always special.” He and Zhuri spent Friday sightseeing, touring Alcatraz, crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and sharing dinner in the city.
James noted that Zhuri’s main sport is volleyball, joking that wife Savannah is “done with this basketball stuff.” Despite her skills with the ball, he added, “She’s a volleyball player. My wife ain’t playing that. Not another one.”
Inside the victorious locker room, guard Austin Reaves quipped that Zhuri should join the Lakers on Thursday in Denver for their next road contest against the Nuggets. James laughed, warning teammates not to say it too loudly: “She already said, ‘When is the next road trip?’”
Source: ESPN
