Just a few days ago, LeBron James seemed like he was feeling the weight of age at 41, expressing how exhausted he was following the Lakers’ tough loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.
However, after sitting out Tuesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs, he appeared revitalized on Thursday night as the Lakers faced off against the Dallas Mavericks.
James was animated during warmups, showing a return to his usual upbeat demeanor.
He had a remarkable game, notching 28 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds—the best start to a game this season for him. The Lakers were eager for his performance, especially with Luka Doncic sidelined again due to a hamstring strain. They secured a solid 124-104 victory at Crypto.com Arena.
The four-time MVP’s stats were impressive, with his final defensive rebound coming at the 2:05 mark in the fourth quarter.
Rui Hachimura contributed 21 points, shooting 9-of-13, while Austin Reeves added 18 points, along with six assists and four rebounds. Jackson Hayes, who replaced Deandre Ayton due to right knee soreness, delivered 16 points, seven rebounds, and four assists against a Mavericks team missing No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg.
What It Means
This victory ended the Lakers’ two-game losing streak, setting them up nicely as they head into the All-Star break.
With the win, the Lakers improved to 33-21, overtaking the Minnesota Timberwolves in percentage points and climbing to fifth in the Western Conference standings.
Turning Point
If Middleton had made that shot, the Mavericks could have closed the gap and gained momentum against a Lakers team that was on the upswing.
Instead, after Middleton’s miss, Lakers coach JJ Redick called a timeout, and during the ensuing possession, Austin Reeves assisted Jackson Hayes on a floater. That sparked a 7-2 run, pushing the lead to 96-82 by the end of the quarter, from which the Lakers maintained a double-digit advantage for the remainder of the game.
MVP: LeBron James
James set the tone from the get-go, accumulating 14 points, six assists, and two rebounds in the first quarter.
He was involved in all but three of the Lakers’ shots in that quarter, hitting 10 of his 20 field goals.
Game Stats: 41 Years, 44 Days
On Thursday, James became the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double.
For comparison, Karl Malone was 40 years and 127 days old when he achieved a triple-double of 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Spurs on November 28, 2003, making James nearly a full year older at this milestone.
James has now recorded 16 of the 17 oldest triple-doubles in league history.
To the Next
The NBA break before All-Star Weekend is almost upon us.
The Lakers won’t play again until February 20, when they host the Clippers. Several players will participate in All-Star activities, including Jackson Hayes in the dunk contest, and both Doncic and James in the All-Star Game on Sunday.
