Los Angeles Lakers All-NBA power forward LeBron James just keeps finding historic stats to match or better.
In the midst of an ongoing In-Season Tournament game against the Phoenix Suns (coached by some familiar faces in ex-LA head coach Frank Vogel and Vogel’s former assistant John Lucas III), he has apparently made some unique Lakers history.
Per Anthony Gharib of ESPN , James is the first LA player in 19 years to notch at least 20 points, 10 dimes and five steals in a contest since another LA Hall of Famer, Kobe Bryant, did so in November 2004. Gharib notes that that five-steal tally makes him the oldest player to achieve that since the 1973-74 season, the first time that stat was measured.
At 38 years old (he’ll be 39 later this month) and in his 21st NBA season, James remains shockingly good.
LeBron shows off the strength for the and-1 😤
🏆 NBA In-Season Tournament pic.twitter.com/vwc1VyNNd7
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 6, 2023
Per ESPN, this marks James’ fifth career game with 20+ points, 10+ assists, and 5+ steals. It is also his first since February 5th, 2008 against the Celtics.
James currently has 31 points on 12-of-25 shooting from the floor, 11 assists, eight rebounds, and five steals.
Austin Reaves just made a triple to put LA up four, 105-101, with 15 seconds to go in regulation. It appears LA is en route to win this thing at home and advance to the In-Season Tournament West Semis. The victor of tonight’s game will square off against the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday. The overall winner of the In-Season Tournament nets an extra $500K for every teammate, which is quite a bit for each interested club’s three players inked to two-way contracts. In the case of LA, that’s center Colin Castleton, wing Alex Fudge and guard D’Moi Hodge.
