LeBron James will turn 40 in December, but that fact didn't make it easier for the Sacramento Kings to prevent a game-changing sequence -- and another historic feat -- from the NBA's all-time leading scorer on Oct. 26.
With just over 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, James caught a pass from Los Angeles forward Rui Hachimura, then drilled a triple from one step inside the Lakers' half-court logo. On the next play, James hit a contested elbow jumper over Kings big man Alex Len. One play later, James, after fighting for positioning in the paint, drew an and-1 while being sandwiched between De'Aaron Fox and Kevin Huerter under the basket.
And James wasn't done. On the next four Lakers possessions, he buried two more 3-pointers, assisted a dunk by Jaxson Hayes and capped his one-man run by cutting baseline for a reverse layup. Seven straight Lakers buckets turned a four-point deficit into a 14-point lead within a three-minute span, sparking a 131-127 win and Los Angeles' first 3-0 start since 2010.
James finished with game highs in points (32), rebounds (14) and assists (10); the oldest player in league history to lead both teams in all three categories.
For James, who had logged just 26 minutes ahead of that late 18-point flurry against the Kings, staying rested enough to shine in closing moments of games will be critical for the Lakers' chances in the stacked Western Conference.
That task could become even more daunting after James' declaration the night before: He doesn't want to take a single night off.
What would an 82-game season look like for the 22-year veteran? Should the Lakers even consider it? Let's break down what the approach could mean for James, Los Angeles' season and the race for the playoffs.
