LeBron after hitting free throw to save Lakers: ‘I’m in a really good groove right now’

It wasn’t a great shooting night for the Lakers. but somehow, they managed to escape with a 105-104 home win over the Rockets on Sunday.

OK, it wasn’t really somehow. It was LeBron James, who turns 39 years old in a month.

James made one of two free throws with 1.9 seconds left and Austin Reaves hit a deep 3-pointer a little bit before that to help set up the win.

But other than that, the Lakers were mostly ice cold, which is why they barely escaped with a victory on their own floor. James, though, stayed hot — finishing with a season-high 37 points, to go with eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.

It marked his fifth 30-point game this season and fourth in the last seven. Yet he dished it to Reaves for the biggest three of the night.

“One thing about me is going to continue to trust my teammates whether they go in or not,” James told Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet. “It’s the law of averages. Obviously, the average was a little bit low tonight, but AR hit a big one right there for sure.”

James’ game-winner took place after he received a pass from Reaves, drove baseline, and was fouled by Rockets big man Tari Eason. James missed the first free throw, but made the second.

He went 14-of-19 from the field and is shooting nearly 60 percent in November.

“I’m in a really good groove right now,” he told Trudell. “I don’t feel that great — I’m dealing with a couple injuries, little under the weather. But I guess I’m just trusting the work and the competition gets me going a little bit too.

“My teammates needed me to be as ready as I could be and I was happy to be able to come through for them. … If I’m in the lineup I have to produce.”