LeBron James Says Lakers Used 'Game 7 Mentality' to Eliminate Grizzlies in Game 6

The Los Angeles Lakers made it clear in their 125-85 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 6 of the Western Conference playoffs they didn't want this series to extend to a winner-take-all showdown.

Speaking to reporters after a dominant win, LeBron James said the Lakers used a "Game 7 mentality" going into Friday's matchup.

"We understood that we had an opportunity to play in front of our fans," he added, "and we wanted to try to end it tonight."

There was some question about how the Lakers would respond the longer this series went on. After having two days off between each of the first three games, the series was played every other day until the end.

This seemed like it would bode well for a Grizzlies team built around young players whose bodies might be better equipped to handle quick turnarounds. James and Anthony Davis have a lot of miles on their bodies and take a lot of punishment because of the style they play.

Game 5 looked like the Lakers were starting to show some cracks in the armor. James, in particular, seemed off with just 15 points on 5-of-17 shooting, five assists and five turnovers in a 116-99 loss.

The 29.4 field-goal percentage in that game was the 10th-worst of James' postseason career. It was his first time shooting below 30 percent in the playoffs since 2014.

James didn't have a dominant showing in Game 6, finishing with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting with six assists. But it's a testament to how much deeper the Lakers have gotten they can win a playoff game by 40 points without him having an otherworldly performance.

Instead of having to play a Game 7 in Memphis, the Lakers will get a few days off before the second round. They await the winner of the Sacramento Kings-Golden State Warriors series that will have a winner-take-all Game 7 on Sunday.