Sports fans or, hell, general culture buffs probably remember that former Boston Red Sox/New York Yankees great Babe Ruth famously predicted a home run in Game 3 of the Yankees’ 1932 World Series game against the Chicago Cubs. . There is film footage of Ruth approaching home plate in the fifth inning and it appears that he points to center field at two different times during his at bat, eventually hitting a home run 490 feet from center field.
We’re not saying a regular game moment for a Los Angeles Lakers team that’s likely doomed to play in the playoffs or worse this year carries with it 91 years of Babe’s historic significance. Prediction, but nevertheless, LA All-Star forward LeBron James performed his own “Ruthian magic” on his 38th birthday when he told his teammates before a December 30 game against the Atlanta Hawks that he would score at least 40 points. :
He actually finished with 47 in the Lakers’ 130-121 win.
During James’ postgame chat with Spectrum SportsNet’s Mike Trudell, Los Angeles starting point guard Dennis Schroder approached the pair and revealed that James had predicted pregame that he would score at least 40 points.
“I was calling before the game, so I had to make it happen. 1 after 5 starts [from the floor] In: [didn’t] know it’s going to happen.”
“After all, the game is the game, I didn’t even know [I had played] three [games] “For four nights, I just prepared my mind and body to go tonight. . . . To get a win . . . is a pleasure.”
Following this patchy start of 1-for-5 shooting, James finished 17-for-22 from the field. Not too shabby for a guy playing in his 20th NBA season. Let’s see what the King has in store for us tonight against the Charlotte Hornets in his book second 38 year competition.
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