"May be broke the way he fighting for that 500k": LeBron James fans go nuts as he guides Lakers' 44-point win vs Pelicans

Led by LeBron James, the LA Lakers decimated the New Orleans Pelicans 133-89 in the semi-finals of the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament to punch a ticket to the Finals against the Indiana Pacers at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday. Such was the Lakers' dominance that their starters were pulled after three quarters that saw them amass a 30-point lead. The win now puts the Purple and Gold as firm favorites ahead of the humdinger Finals against the equally impressive Pacers outfit led by Tyrese Haliburton.

Lakers fans wasted no time in sharing their two cents after LA's blowout win on X, formerly Twitter:

The other fans chimed in soon after:

Lakers fans were pleased after LeBron James led the side to the In-Season Tournament Final

LeBron James scored 21 points in the first half to help LA head into halftime with a 67-54 lead against New Orleans. He ended his fantastic run with 30 points. Anthony Davis chipped in 16 points and 15 rebounds. Taurean Prince upped his 3-point game to drain 15 points, while Austin Reaves came off the bench to pour 17 points.

The Lakers defense was at its fluent best as they held the Pelicans to less than a hundred, even after their starters were off the floor for a whole quarter. Trey Murphy III had 14 points for the Pelicans, while Zion Williamson had another quiet evening with just 13 points, two rebounds and three assists.

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LeBron James has been a force for the LA Lakers in the 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament

LeBron James was all over the floor when the Lakers squared off against the Pelicans on Thursday. In addition to a logo 3 that left social media stunned, the 38-year-old made all four of his 3-point attempts and went 9-of-12 from the field to end his evening in the third quarter with 30 points, five rebounds and eight assists.

James is averaging 26.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.8 steals in the tournament. And when he is on the floor, the Lakers have looked unstoppable. With the team making it clear that the NBA Cup was something they would take a lot more seriously (financial benefits as part of the reason), the veteran forward is keen to add the trophy to his already-decorated resume.

The regular season sees James averaging 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. With the four-time MVP showing no signs of slowing down, the Lakers will hope that the right pieces around James and Davis will complement them this season as they look to hoist another silverware by the end of the season.

The Lakers now face the Indiana Pacers in the Finals on Sunday.