On Tuesday night, a major star in pop music took a seat right next to the court at Crypto.com Arena, instantly energizing both the crowd and LeBron James himself.
Justin Bieber wasn’t just another fan at the Los Angeles Lakers game against the Orlando Magic; he became LeBron’s most enthusiastic supporter. With every impressive move by LeBron, Bieber was right there in the moment, showing his excitement with enthusiastic gestures.
After LeBron made a three-pointer, Bieber was out of his seat, applauding like it was the highlight of his night. When LeBron made a jumper to put the Lakers up 16-10, Bieber really started encouraging him, clearly reveling in the atmosphere.
LeBron kicked off the first quarter with 10 points, showcasing the confidence of a player who knows his strength on the court. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic was impressive too, scoring 11 points, along with four rebounds and four assists. The Lakers shot above 50 percent, ending the first quarter with a 33-25 lead.
Before the game, during introductions, LeBron greeted Bieber, leading fans online to jokingly refer to the moment as “Leaveer James.”
For most of the night, the Lakers employed a 2-3 zone defense, which surprisingly worked well against a Magic team that had a record of 30-26 and was fighting for a playoff slot in the Eastern Conference.
The highlight of the first half? Definitely when Luka Doncic left Moritz Wagner behind with a crossover before stepping back for a three-pointer right in his face.
The Lakers aimed to recover from a tough loss to their rivals, the Celtics, bringing a narrow lead of 56-53 into halftime.
