LeBron savors redemption as Cam Reddish repays King’s faith, hits big 3

PHOENIX — LeBron James scored 32 points, D’Angelo Russell had 19 and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a three-game losing streak, beating the Phoenix Suns 122-119 in the NBA In-Season Tournament.

James had a stellar performance, once again defying age in his 21st season, shooting 11 of 17 from the field, including 3 of 4 on 3s. He added 11 rebounds and six assists.

PHOTO: AP

One of those assists turned out to be the most satisfying, as James felt redeemed for his much-maligned decision to pass to an open Cam Reddish rather than take the final shot in the Lakers’ 108-107 loss to the Miami Heat on Monday (Tuesday, Manila time).

This time, Reddish scored 17 points, including a corner 3 on a pass from James that put the Lakers up 118-113 with 1:10 remaining.

LeBron has last laugh

After the game, LBJ clapped back at critics as he savored the vindication.

“To all the naysayers and basketball savants that don’t know nothing about basketball telling me I should’ve shot that shot in Miami instead of passing to Cam Reddish, well I did the same thing tonight because I trust my teammates and I make the right play every single time. Game ball goes to Cam Reddish, for sure,” he said in an interview with ESPN after the win.

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Kevin Durant led the Suns with 38 points and Bradley Beal added 24 — 20 in the first half. Devin Booker missed his fourth straight game because of a strained right calf.

Austin Reaves made a layup with 9:25 remaining — part of a 14-0 run — to give the Lakers their first lead of the second half at 97-96. Reaves added a couple mid-range jumpers in the fourth to help Los Angeles stay ahead.

LeBron injury scare

James came up limping after getting fouled in the first quarter, grabbing at his lower left leg. The 38-year-old star got some medical treatment on the bench before returning for the start of the second quarter.

He looked fine the rest of the evening, helping orchestrate the Lakers’ comeback.Durant scored 15 points in the third quarter as the Suns nursed a single-digit lead. Reddish hit a 3 at the buzzer to cut the Phoenix advantage to 96-89 heading to the fourth.

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L.A.’s Anthony Davis returned after missing one game with a hip injury and had 18 points, 11 rebounds and four assists.

Beal — who was making his home debut with the Suns — made a layup in traffic at the halftime buzzer to give the Suns a 63-55 lead after they led by as many as 14. James had 19 points in the half.

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