James has reached the playoffs in each of his 15 seasons, and he’s been to seven NBA Finals. He’s also won four MVP awards and two DPOYs during that span.
The Los Angeles Lakers are in desperate need of a win, and LeBron James has risen to the occasion. The potential first-ballot Hall of Famer continues to dazzle in his 19th season, putting up historic numbers that have him on pace to beat Karl Malone for second all-time in scoring this season.
In Friday’s much-needed victory against the Washington Wizards, James scored 50 points for the second time this season. Aside from that, the outstanding performance aided the 18-time All-Star in achieving yet another astounding achievement, demonstrating that he still has much left in the tank to play at a high level.
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LeBron James scores 50 points for the second time in a week.
LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers tries to score against the Washington Wizards. | Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Even if the Lakers aren’t a real postseason contender, James continues to prove that he’s an immortal marvel.
Los Angeles needed all 50 points from the great forward to beat the Wizards, who were in desperate need of a victory. They trailed by seven points at halftime, but James responded by scoring 33 points in the remaining two halves. In the third quarter, the Lakers scored 12 consecutive points as part of a 22-8 run to take the lead.
James set the tone with another incredibly efficient performance, making 18 of 25 shots and six three-pointers in 36 minutes. It was his 15th career 50-point game, and he became the first Lakers player to score 50 points in back-to-back home games since Kobe Bryant in April 2007.
The Lakers’ sixth victory in their previous 18 games prompted James to agree that the fans had every right to react the way they have.
“The Laker faithful know if bad basketball is being played, and they know if good basketball is being played,” James said via Harrison Faigen of Silver Screen and Roll. They have a right to respond any way they want.”
Nonetheless, the four-time league MVP demonstrated why he continues to elude Father Time.
LeBron James is demonstrating why Father Time has yet to catch up with him.
LeBron James’ outstanding effort not only ended the Lakers’ two-game losing streak, but it also highlighted his historic season.
His 50-point performance against the Wizards came little over a week after a season-high 56-point performance against the Golden State Warriors. James became the first player beyond the age of 35 to have multiple 50-point games in a single season, according to StatMuse.
His current scoring run was also the first time in his career that he had two 50-point games in the same week. In his 19th season, James is playing at an unprecedented level, leading the league with 29.7 points. That alone more than doubles Kareem Abdul-previous Jabbar’s NBA-best average (14.6) for a player in his 19th season.
James may be suffering from persistent knee swelling, but it isn’t stopping him from setting records in the NBA. At this stage in his career, injuries have become more of an issue, but he’s pushing through to prove why he’s regarded as one of the game’s best players.
The Lakers need much more than LeBron’s outstanding performance.
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Even though LeBron James’ 19th season has been tremendously fruitful, the Lakers’ success cannot be totally dependent on him.
Los Angeles will be short-handed for at least the next several weeks without Anthony Davis, putting a greater burden on James’ shoulders. Without any significant support around him, the squad is relying much too heavily on the 37-year-old.
Russell Westbrook must establish himself as the team’s second leading scorer, a position in which he has struggled to maintain consistency. He’s averaging 16.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in eight games since the All-Star break on 40.2 percent shooting and 10.0 percent from outside the arc.
Over that period, Westbrook has scored more than 20 points twice and has shot less than 40 percent four times. The nine-time All-Star is coming off a disappointing scoring effort in Friday’s victory against the Wizards, in which he had nine assists but only scored five points on 2-of-11 shooting and didn’t return to the game.
If the Lakers are to have a realistic chance of making it out of the play-in round, they will need Westbrook and the rest of the roster to provide consistent and solid assistance.
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