LeBron James won’t suit up for the Lakers’ Saturday showdown with the Indiana Pacers, sidelined by a sore left ankle. It’s only his fourth missed game this season.
But that’s not the big story here.
At 40 years and 38 days old, James just made NBA history by becoming both the oldest and youngest player ever to drop 40 points in a game. Let that sink in for a moment.
The King put on an absolute show Thursday night, powering the Lakers to a 120-112 win over Golden State with a season-best 42 points and 17 rebounds. He was practically unstoppable, shooting 56% from the field and nailing six three-pointers.
“What do I think? That I’m old,” James joked after the game. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s the first thing I think about.”
The performance edged out Michael Jordan’s previous “oldest 40-point game” record, set when MJ scored 43 for the Wizards back in 2003 at 40 years and 4 days old.
Here’s where it gets really wild: LeBron is also the youngest player to ever score 40 in an NBA game. He first did it as a 19-year-old rookie with Cleveland, dropping 41 points on March 27, 2004.
Think about that – he’s held both age records for scoring 40 points, spanning more than 20 years.
The Lakers have more excitement coming their way. Newly acquired superstar Luka Doncic is expected to make his Lakers debut Monday against Utah, though he’ll miss Saturday’s game with a calf strain.
James can’t wait to share the court with Doncic.
“I’ve been watching him since he got into this league,” James said. “And what he’s capable of doing is special. He’s a super-duper special talent.”
Even in his 22nd season, James is putting up incredible numbers: 24.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game, while shooting over 51% from the field.
The Lakers (30-19) are rolling right now, winners of 10 of their last 12 games. They’ll face a Pacers team (29-21) that’s also playing well, coming off a win against the Clippers.
Center Mark Williams, another recent Lakers addition, might play Saturday – he’s listed as questionable. The Pacers will be without Myles Turner, who’s nursing a neck injury.
