Deandre Ayton was already preparing for the worst. Midway through Friday night’s rout of the Washington Wizards, the Lakers center launched a lob pass so off target he assumed it was headed straight for the stands and possibly for a quick trip to the bench.

Instead, LeBron James turned it into a jaw-dropping alley-oop finish, transforming what looked like a blatant mistake into one of the night’s most memorable highlights. In a dominant 142-111 Lakers victory, it was that single play, more than any stat line, that stuck with Ayton long after the final buzzer.

“I told JJ [Redick], I said, if it was not LeBron James at the end of that alley-oop, I would be right there sitting next to you,” he told reporters after the game, referring to a play where he threw a lob to James, who caught it and brought it down with his left hand.

Ayton continued, “It was just a fact, cuz I’m like, yo, I threw it out of bounds… I saw the left hand. Yeah, he just did that, and he looked at the hand. I’m like, wow.”

Ayton admitted that he knew immediately his pass to James was off and that he thought the ball was about to go out of bounds, which usually results in quick substitutions. Instead, James bailed him out in real time.

It was just a reminder of how well James stabilizes the team’s lineups as the league’s oldest player. The 41-year-old has seen nearly every kind of lineup and offensive set before, and all he needs to do is find a way to adjust. Ayton praised his ability to “attack the game,” something that erases his teammates’ mistakes, as it did tonight.

LeBron James’ remarkable blend of size, speed, and body control has made him a lob magnet throughout his career, even as he continues to dominate at age 41. Teammates like Kyrie Irving, Mario Chalmers, Dwyane Wade, and Lonzo Ball have mastered this dynamic, often lobbing the ball “up there somewhere” for LeBron to track down mid-air with uncanny precision.

Take the 2016 NBA Finals, for instance – after a steal, Kyrie Irving lobbed it back to LeBron, who soared over Golden State Warriors defenders for a monster dunk that shifted momentum.

This trust isn’t just anecdotal. Players have openly admitted to leaning on LeBron’s bailout ability. Dwyane Wade, reflecting on their Miami Heat days, once said he could “throw the worst lob in the world” and LeBron would still catch it effortlessly – he even noted that the best dunks often stem from those slightly off-target lobs.

Similarly, J.R. Smith confessed during his Cleveland Cavaliers tenure that he routinely threw “bad” alley-oop passes on purpose, knowing LeBron’s instincts would turn them into insane finishes.

Moments like this also revealed a unique dynamic shaping up between the two. Ayton owned the error, while James covered it up on the court. That combination of problem-solving and accountability has helped give the Lakers a sense of stability, especially as they navigate a tough road stretch without the injured Austin Reaves.

LeBron James Explains Deandre Ayton’s Impact on Los Angeles Lakers Wins

Ayton wasn’t the only person to talk about his teammates, however. LeBron James also addressed his side of the exchange and went bigger-picture in his reply, focusing not on Ayton’s mistakes but what the offseason acquisition brings to the team.

“It’s our job to feed him,” James explained to reporters. “Tonight he was very active… He’s 12 or 14, converted, everything in the paint pretty much. He started off with good energy. Was dunking a lot, too. That’s great for us. And rebounding.”

Ayton finished with perhaps his best performance this month, finishing with an all-around performance to supplement Luka Doncic: 28 points, 13 rebounds, of which five were offensive, and three blocks, as well as a team-high +30 plus/minus.

James focused on Ayton’s rebounding and how it enables the team to play faster by getting out and running, and ended his statement by simply saying that Ayton had “been key for our wins, for sure.”

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Now that the Lakers are turning their season around after some hiccups over the last two months, James’ leadership and Ayton’s accountability might be the blueprint for the team.