LeBron’s milestone night
LeBron James carried the Lakers to back-to-back wins and hit a rare career assist milestone while doing it. (x.com) He finished with 28 points, 6 rebounds, 12 assists and 4 steals — becoming the fourth player ever to reach 12,000 career assists and the first player over 40 to post three straight games with 25+ points and 10+ assists. (x.com)
LeBron James needed only his second assist against Phoenix on April 10 to reach 12,000 for his career, and by the end of the night he had 28 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals in a 101-73 Lakers win. (apnews.com) That game also gave the Lakers back-to-back wins after a 119-103 road win over Golden State on April 9, when James put up 26 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds. (nba.com) The 12,000-assist club is tiny because assists usually belong to smaller guards who spend their careers bringing the ball up the floor. Before James, the only players there were John Stockton, Chris Paul, and Jason Kidd. (basketball-reference.com) James got there while playing a very different position for most of his career. He entered the league in 2003 as a 6-foot-9 forward, but he has spent two decades running offense like a full-time point guard with a power forward’s body. (nba.com) That mix has been part of the Lakers’ season all year. Los Angeles locked up home-court advantage in the first round with the Phoenix win, which means James’ passing night came in a game with playoff stakes, not in a quiet spot on the schedule. (apnews.com) The age part is what makes this stretch stranger. The National Basketball Association said James became the first player age 40 or older to record three straight games with at least 25 points and 10 assists. (news18.com) Most stars who reach 40 are hanging on as spot-up shooters or bench pieces. James is still doing the job of a team’s engine, creating double-digit baskets for teammates while scoring 25 or more himself three games in a row. (news18.com) The assist milestone also moved him past a line that looked unreachable for non-guards a generation ago. Basketball-Reference listed James at 11,987 career assists before the Suns game, so his 12 against Phoenix pushed him beyond 12,000 in one night. (basketball-reference.com) What the Lakers are getting right now is not a nostalgia act. In consecutive April wins over Golden State and Phoenix, James combined for 54 points and 23 assists, and Los Angeles turned those two games into a cleaner playoff path. (nba.com) (apnews.com)
