After scoring a career-high 40 points on Saturday to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 129-120 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James once again demonstrated that age is just a number.
The 38-year-old put on an offensive clinic, going 13 of 20 from the field and hitting all five of his three-pointers to become the first player in the 21st NBA season to achieve a 40-point performance. He also contributed seven assists and seven rebounds.
James, who turns 39 in a week, stated afterward, “We needed this win,” according to ESPN. “We didn’t want to take a bad turn and end the road trip. It was a major victory for us to come in here and play against a club that has been playing incredibly well all season.
Following a run of four consecutive losses, Anthony Davis had declared this game a “must win” for the Lakers, and head coach Darvin Ham changed the starting lineup in an effort to fortify the defense.
The Lakers defeated the Thunder to lead by 12 at the half, and Ham subsequently gave appreciation to “that size and physicality out there.” It was a wise call.
After being benched, D’Angelo Russell scored 15 points in 18 minutes, followed by 26 points from Davis and 21 points from Rui Hachimura.
However, James was the one who made the crucial contributions. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Thunder had trimmed the Lakers’ advantage from 26 to just eight points. James scored 11 points in the final 4:29 to secure the victory.
The Thunder had been on a three-game winning streak, but they were unable to overcome the Lakers despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 34 points and Jalen Williams scoring 28.
“I just want to enjoy my day off tomorrow,” James said afterward. “I don’t care about Monday at all. Right now, Monday is just about my daughter waking up and getting her presents. That is all.
“Please, don’t even discuss Christmas Day with me at this time. What I’m most excited about is Christmas Eve. I’m eager to sink my ass into this sofa.
The Lakers’ next game is against the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day.