Lakers News: LeBron James Claims Austin Reaves’ Flu Game Rivals Michael Jordan’s 1997 Finals Moment
Despite dealing with a late breaking non-COVID-19 illness, Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves almost singlehandedly picked up LA's bench during yesterday's stellar 123-109 In-Season Tournament Championship win over the Indiana Pacers.
The 6'5", third-year swingman scored 28 points on an efficient 9-of-15 shooting line from the floor and 10-of-12 shooting from the foul line, in addition to notching three assists. The rest of LA's reserves had a cumulative two points.
During a Reaves postgame locker room chat with assorted media, his "In-Season Tournament Champions" hat perched precariously atop maybe 2/3 of his head, Los Angeles All-NBA power forward LeBron James can be heard asking a provocative, hot-take question.
"Who had the better flu game: AR [Austin Reaves] or MJ [Michael Jordan]? It's up for debate!" James shouted, (presumably?) mostly in jest.
Michael Jordan, infamously, had suffered possible food poisoning ahead of Game 5 of his Chicago Bulls' 1997 NBA Finals series against the Utah Jazz, while in Utah. Surviving mostly on Gatorade, a clearly-exhausted Jordan powered the Bulls to a critical win, scoring 38 points on 13-of-27 shooting (2-of-5 from deep) from the floor and 10-of-12 shooting from the foul line, pulling down seven rebounds, dishing out five assists, swiping three steals and blocking one shot in 44:17. At times, a clearly dehydrated Jordan had to be helped off the floor by Scottie Pippen.
The victory improved the Bulls' tally in the Jazz series to a 3-2 record, with Chicago en route to its fifth win in seven years, and its second straight.
I think that was a bigger deal than a cute little tournament in December.
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