LeBron James is in his 40s. At some point, that’s going to matter.
But not now. The Los Angeles Lakers star recorded 42 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists on Thursday in a 120-112 win over the Golden State Warriors, making him the oldest player in NBA history to score 40 points, while also being the youngest to do so.
The only other player to score 40 at 40: Michael Jordan, the object of James’ endless comparison.
James’ performance included 6-of-9 shooting from 3-point range, including a stretch of three straight 3-pointers that ended with him pulling up from the logo.
The game was between two teams in a state of transition. The Lakers are still waiting for Luka Dončić to fully recover from a calf strain after shockingly trading Anthony Davis for him last weekend (he’s reportedly targeting Monday for his Lakers debut), while the Warriors just acquired Jimmy Butler in one more shake-up of Stephen Curry’s supporting cast.
Curry joined James in recording a timeless performance, as the NBA’s 3-point king finished with 37 points after trying to get the Warriors back in it during the second half.
Despite the loss of Davis, the Lakers have now won four straight games and currently sit in fifth in the Western Conference at 30-19.
