LeBron James, aged 39, put on a remarkable show on Sunday by scoring 40 points and hitting nine 3-pointers on 10 tries, equaling his personal best. This helped the Lakers secure a 116-104 NBA win against the Nets.
LeBron James, a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player and the oldest active player in the NBA at 39, had an impressive performance in which he made 13 out of 17 shots from the field for the Lakers. LeBron James also contributed seven rebounds and five assists, earning a standing ovation from Nets fans. This marked his 77th career 40-point game in the NBA, tying him with Oscar Robertson for seventh place on the all-time list, led by Wilt Chamberlain with 271 such games.
Anthony Davis scored 24 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while Rui Hachimura from Japan had 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Lakers took an early 17-0 lead and maintained their advantage throughout the game. D’Angelo Russell scored 18 points and surpassed the 10,000 career point milestone in the victory, helping the Lakers improve to a 42-33 record, just ahead of Golden State in the last two Western Conference play-in positions.
Luka Doncic led Dallas to a 125-107 victory over Houston by scoring 47 points on 18-of-30 shooting, including 9-of-16 from 3-point range. This win ended Houston’s 11-game win streak and extended Dallas’ own win streak to seven games.
The Golden State team matched the Lakers’ performance by securing a 117-113 victory against San Antonio. Stephen Curry was the top scorer for the Warriors with 33 points, while rookie Victor Wembanyama led the home team with 32 points.
Nikola Jokic achieved his 23rd triple-double of the season, leading defending champions Denver to a 130-101 victory over Cleveland at home. The 29-year-old Serbian center, a two-time NBA MVP, scored 26 points, secured 18 rebounds, and contributed 16 assists for his 128th NBA triple-double. Denver made a season-best 21 3-pointers and secured a playoff spot. The Nuggets shot 50-of-87 from the field (57.5%) and 21-of-33 (63.6%) from beyond the arc, while also dominating the Cavaliers on the boards with a 51-28 rebounding advantage.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored his final 19 points with a game-winning shot with 2.1 seconds left, securing a 113-112 win for Oklahoma City against New York. Jalen Williams was the top scorer for the Thunder with 33 points, while Jalen Brunson, who missed a shot at the end of the game, led New York with 30 points.
