(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers have clinched the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament following an impressive 123-109 win against the Indiana Pacers.
While most of the media is talking about elite performances by the dynamic duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, one Lakers player’s performance went under the radar.
Yes, we are talking about none other than Austin Reaves, who was also suffering from the flu hours before the NBA In-Season Tournament finals.
Reaves’ teammate LeBron James heaped huge praise on him and even compared him to the legendary Michael Jordan in one aspect, as revealed via Jovan Buha on Twitter.
“Who had the better flu game: AR or MJ?! It’s up for debate!” James said.
LeBron yelling to Austin Reaves as Reaves does media in the locker room: “Who had the better flu game: AR or MJ?! It’s up for debate!”
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) December 10, 2023
Michael Jordan had a plethora of great performances during his NBA career.
But hardly anything truly defines Jordan’s competitive nature, like his flu game in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz.
Jordan finished the game with 38 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists against the Utah Jazz to lead the Chicago Bulls to a stunning 90-88 win.
Sure, it was later clarified that Jordan actually had food poisoning during the game rather than the flu, but the Bull superstar delivered a legendary performance.
On the other hand, Austin Reaves registered 28 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists in 28 minutes of playing time off the bench.
Reaves’ performances played a crucial role in the Purple and Gold becoming the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament winners.
But as compared to Jordan’s iconic Game 5 performance in the 1997 NBA Finals, Reaves’ numbers fade in comparison.
Either way, both players proved how to put the importance of a game above their own health in different ways.
The post LeBron James Compares Teammate’s Performance To 1 NBA Legend appeared first on The Cold Wire.