Should we even be surprised at this point?
The Los Angeles Lakers trailed by five through three quarters of play against the Memphis Grizzlies last night in downtown LA. Fueled by a strong collective effort, the Lakers erupted for 37 points in the fourth to retake the lead and win the contest 128-123, improving to 7-4 overall and 6-0 on their home court.
Commanding the rally for Los Angeles was LeBron James, who stuffed the stat sheet with 35 points, 14 assists, and 12 rebounds. The video-game-esque stat line marked his third-straight triple-double, for which he became the oldest player in NBA history to accomplish the feat.
Lakers superstar LeBron James beat his own triple-double record
James has reached a point in his career where the only records he can break are his own. The All-Star forward originally became the oldest player to record a triple-double in back-to-back-to-back games at 34, when he surpassed the mark set by Jason Kidd in 2008 by 19 days.
After setting a new bar at 39 years old, James continues to emphasize that his unrivaled output isn’t deterred by the number of candles on his birthday cake. When asked what’s been working for him during the three-game stretch, James detailed that his experience gives him a competitive edge:
“Just being patient and taking what the defense gives me,” he said in his postgame interview. “I’ve been doing it for a while, so I understand the time and score. I understand the waves and swings of the game. It’s nothing new to me.”
James is having yet another career year
Across the three-game sample size, James averaged 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 14 assists per game, shooting 56% from the field, 43% from beyond the arc, and 81% from the foul line. Undoubtedly his best stretch of the season thus far, the three-game run further emphasized the King’s unwavering dominance as he approaches 40 years old.
Through the first 11 games of his record-tying 22nd career season, James is averaging 24 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists per game -– the last of which ranks third in the league. He has already tallied three games with 30+ points, six with 10+ assists, and four with 10+ rebounds. Albeit a small sample size, James is also shooting a career-best from both beyond the arc (45.9%) and the charity stripe (78.9%).
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When asked about James in his postgame interview, the first-year Lakers head coach had high praise for his star player, telling reporters, “He’s mastered the game.”
The Lakers will head to San Antonio to play Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on Friday night in their first game of the NBA Cup group stage.
