In the final game of the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers dominated the New Orleans Pelicans. Despite Zion Williamson and his team’s efforts, LeBron James proved to be an unstoppable force. With 28 points, 11 rebounds, 17 assists, 5 steals, and a block, his impact spanned both ends of the court. Even his teammate, Austin Reaves, was taken aback by the incredible stat line, only realizing its magnitude towards the end of the game.

In a recent post on X, Jovan Buha shared Reaves’s reaction. “Austin Reaves looked up at the in-arena box score and did a double take. “What the hell is going on?” Reaves thought. “They might have a typo up there.” Except there wasn’t an error — LeBron James really had that many assists. On LeBron’s two-way dominance against NOP on Tuesday,” stated the caption.

The Lakers’ convincing 124-108 win carries significant implications. With Los Angeles set to face the Pelicans again in the play-in tournament, if LeBron James replicates his stellar performance, he’ll be a force to reckon with.

His playoff stats speak volumes, averaging 28.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists across 282 playoff games in his career. James aims to continue this near-triple-double playoff performance. Yet, one significant obstacle may stand between King James and the Western Conference Finals.

LeBron James faces a significant hurdle in his pursuit of a 5th championship ring: the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic. The memory of last year’s Western Conference finals sweep by the Nuggets still lingers, and this season, the formidable duo of Jokic and Jamal Murray poses a considerable challenge to LeBron’s aspirations.

Jokic’s impending third MVP title adds to the Nuggets’ strength. If the Lakers advance, they’ll likely meet the Nuggets in the first round, presenting a daunting task. However, overcoming this challenge is possible if all Lakers’ key players perform at their best. LeBron alone cannot carry the team; contributions from Anthony Davis, Reaves, and D’Angelo Russell are vital to counter Denver’s potent pick-and-roll offense. Can the Lakers overcome the Nuggets and advance past the first round?