LeBron James reverse-dunked on the Houston Rockets in Game 2, then laughed about it afterward.
The 41-year-old finished with 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in 39 minutes as the Los Angeles Lakers pushed their first-round series lead to 2-0 on Tuesday. The reverse dunk was the highlight of the night, a play that sent social media into a predictable spiral of disbelief about what James is still physically capable of doing.
After the game, James was in no mood to take the moment too seriously. "I don't even know what that was about. I got to sit the hell down. I got to sit down somewhere," he said, laughing off the reaction with the ease of someone who has stopped being surprised by his own highlights.
Houston had expected a different Game 2. Kevin Durant returned for the contest, and his presence was supposed to give the Rockets a genuine answer to what the Lakers threw at them in Game 1. It did not work out that way. James and Marcus Smart combined to push the pace and control the game, leaving Houston without a real foothold in either contest so far.
The Lakers entered the series as underdogs, a framing that has done nothing to slow them down through two games. James's numbers across the series reflect the kind of all-around play that makes him difficult to gameplan against regardless of age. He is not simply scoring, he is directing the offense, cleaning up the glass, and still getting above the rim when the moment calls for it.
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves remain sidelined with injuries, which means the Lakers have built a 2-0 lead without two of their most important contributors. If either returns before the series ends, Portland's path gets narrower. For now, Los Angeles is winning with what it has, and what it has is a 41-year-old who keeps refusing to act like one.
Game 3 moves to Houston, where the Rockets will need to find answers they have not yet produced.
