JJ Redick showers heartfelt praise on LeBron James after Lakers superstar gets rewarded by basketball gods

LA Lakers superstar forward LeBron James came up clutch for his squad during Wednesday's 120-119 road victory over the Indiana Pacers. Afterward, Lakers coach JJ Redick showered the four-time MVP with praise, citing his game-long rebounding and defensive tenacity despite his poor shooting night.

James shot just 4-for-12 (33.3%), missing all three of his 3-point attempts en route to a 13-point finish. While he narrowly extended his NBA-record streak of 10-plus-point games to 1,283, he delivered when it mattered most.

The 21-time All-Star scored 10 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter. This included converting a game-winning tip-in at the buzzer to dramatically snap LA's three-game losing streak in front of a stunned Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd.

Moreover, James recorded 13 rebounds and seven assists, nearly recording a triple-double while locking in defensively. His well-rounded production helped the Lakers capitalize on his co-star Luka Doncic's game-best 34-point performance.

After the last-second win, Redick commended James, noting that he reaped the rewards of his consistent two-way effort.

"He was so good defensively," Redick said. "He was so good on the glass for us and really led us on that end, and then takes over in the fourth quarter and gets rewarded by the basketball gods."

With its victory, LA (44-28) moved into a tie with the Memphis Grizzlies for the Western Conference's fourth seed. The Lakers own the tiebreaker, putting them in the driver's seat for home-court advantage in the playoffs' first round with 10 outings remaining.

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LeBron James on his game-winning tip-in against Pacers

During Wednesday's postgame interview, LeBron James touched on the Lakers' recent struggles, underscoring the importance of them bouncing back against Indiana.

"We haven't been (playing well) the last few games, so it was great to come into a hostile environment and get a win in that fashion," James said.

James added that he's still working his way into an offensive rhythm after returning from a seven-game injury absence over the weekend. However, he's trying to make his presence felt in other ways.

"One thing about my game, I can always do other things on the floor to help our team win even when I'm not shooting the ball well," James said.

LA (44-28) will attempt to carry its momentum into Thursday's road clash against the Chicago Bulls (32-40). That marks the third contest of its four-game road trip.

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