TL;DR
- LeBron James debuted for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Utah Jazz.
- James recorded 11 points, 12 assists, and three rebounds in the Lakers' win.
- Kwame Brown accused James of playing for stats, which the article refutes.
- James focused on facilitating for teammates like Doncic and Reaves.
LeBron James' long-awaited season debut occurred Tuesday night, with the 40-year-old superstar taking the court for the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Utah Jazz.
James finished with 11 points, 12 assists, and three rebounds in 30 minutes to help the Lakers secure a 140-126 home win.
Despite widespread enthusiasm for James' all-around performance in his season opener, Kwame Brown's recent nine-word stat-padding accusation suggests the ex-Lakers center was not one of the people wowed by James' game.
"It still looked like he (James) was playing for stats," Brown said on his Bust Life show. "He's playing to get assists and get his 10 points.”
Considering James' absence for The Lakers' initial 14 games and his cautious approach upon returning, it's illogical to believe he was prioritizing statistics on Tuesday.
James aimed to do what was needed for The Lakers to secure their eleventh win of the season. With Doncic and Reaves performing exceptionally well offensively, the 21-time All-Star chose to find his star teammates frequently (Doncic scoring 37 points, Reaves adding 26).
James capitalized on scoring chances as they arose, enabling him to play according to the game's rhythm.
In essence, James performed like a star player recovering from an injury, aiming to contribute fully from the outset, and he undeniably achieved this goal.
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