Deandre Ayton Says LeBron James’ Late-Game Heroics Against 76ers ‘Felt Like a Movie’
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Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton could hardly believe what he was witnessing when LeBron James took over the closing minutes of the team’s 112-108 win against the Philadelphia 76ers on the final stop of the Lakers’ road trip.
With the score tied late, James poured in 10 consecutive points, including five straight after Joel Embiid evened the game, pushing Los Angeles to a four-point victory. The 40-year-old forward finished with 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists, capping the night with a new celebration after a layup that put the Lakers ahead by five with under 30 seconds remaining.
Ayton, who posted 14 points on 7-for-7 shooting and 12 rebounds, said watching the sequence up close was surreal. “It felt like a movie. I had to stop celebrating just to make sure I didn’t miss anything,” he told Spectrum SportsNet, calling it a “GOAT moment” as the Philadelphia crowd reacted to James’ surge.
The game marked Ayton’s first opportunity as a teammate to experience one of James’ trademark late-game takeovers. Despite entering his 22nd NBA season, the Lakers star continues to deliver marquee performances when the team needs them most; Los Angeles was coming off a poor showing in its previous outing, and guard Austin Reaves struggled through his toughest night of the season.
Afterward, James said the performance “felt like myself again,” underscoring his ability to defy age and expectations deep into his career. For the Philadelphia fans—who may have watched James at Wells Fargo Center for the last time—it was another chapter in a résumé filled with dramatic finishes.
Source: Lakers Nation
