Superstar LeBron James notched another NBA record Thursday, becoming at age 41 the oldest player to record a triple-double as he powered the Lakers to a 124-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
James, a four-time champion and the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, now in his unprecedented 23rd season, scored a game-high 28 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 12 assists, grabbing his final rebound with just over two minutes remaining.
He passed Karl Malone, aged 40 years and 127 days, when he recorded a triple-double for the Lakers in a victory against San Antonio on November 28, 2003.
James’ feat comes three days before his 22nd appearance in the All-Star Game.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said it’s James’ level of commitment after more than two decades in the league that continues to impress him the most.
“I don’t take for granted how good he is,” Redick said. “I recognize it every day.
“The most remarkable thing is how much he cares about all his accomplishments in his 23rd year. He’s going to recruit another ‘oldest player to do X, Y or Z.’
“He’s going to get another one. He’s going to further solidify his scoring record, he’s going to do all these things.
“It’s really the professionalism and attention he shows on a daily basis that is the most remarkable thing.”
With the Lakers once again without NBA leader Luka Doncic, James set the tone early with 14 points in the first quarter and the Lakers bounced back from two straight losses.
“Winning is the most important thing,” said James, who received a standing ovation when he was replaced by his son Bronny James, seconds after grabbing his 10th rebound.
– The Bucks silence the Thunder –
Elsewhere, Milwaukee’s Ousmane Dieng played against his former team as the Bucks beat the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder 110-93.
The game in Oklahoma City lost some star power with OKC’s reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander missing a fifth straight game with an abdominal strain and Milwaukee’s two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo missing a ninth straight game with a calf strain.
French forward Dieng, who landed in Milwaukee after being dealt by the Thunder before the trade deadline, scored 19 points with 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots.
AJ Green added 17 points and Bobby Portis had 15 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for Milwaukee, which saw seven players score in double figures.
The Thunder had won two straight since losing to Western Conference rivals San Antonio and Houston.
But with Jalen Williams joining Gilgeous-Alexander on the sidelines with a hamstring strain, Oklahoma City trailed virtually the rest of the way.
Guard Isaiah Joe scored 17 points and center Chet Holmgren added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, who still hold a 42-14 record atop the Western Conference heading into the All-Star break.
They got more good news with the long-awaited NBA debut of Nikola Topic, who was diagnosed before the season with testicular cancer.
The 20-year-old Serbian was the 12th selection in the 2024 NBA Draft, missing the entire 2024-25 campaign with a knee injury.
Topic received a standing ovation when he entered the game in the first quarter and scored two points on a basket in 12:22 minutes of action.
“I’m just thrilled for him,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “He’s a young man that all he wants to do is play basketball and that’s been taken away from him multiple times. So for him to work this far, to get on the court is a big accomplishment.”
bb/pbt
