On Friday night, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James turned in one more outstanding performance before the calendar flipped to 2022.
In the process, he made history. The future Hall of Famer became the first NBA player to rack up at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and five made 3-pointers in a game while needing fewer than 30 minutes of action to do so.
Players in NBA history with 40+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ threes in fewer than 30 minutes played:
1. LeBron James tonight
That’s the list. pic.twitter.com/2VqLu6Vclp
— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 1, 2022
In total, James went for 43 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. He went 16-for-26 from the field and 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. On the defensive end, he added two blocks and two steals.
James’ performance was key in the Lakers getting a blowout win over the Portland Trail Blazers. L.A. walked away with a 139-106 victory to pull within a game of .500.
James got some help from Russell Westbrook in this game. Westbrook registered 15 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists while going 5-for-10 from the field.
All things considered, the win was a good way for the Lakers to finish off the calendar year. The team will now look to turn the page to 2022 and hopefully build some momentum.
The Lakers have some very winnable games coming up on their schedule. In fact, four of L.A.’s next five contests will come against teams with losing records.
If L.A. can take advantage of that, the team could get back over .500 and improve its positioning in the Western Conference standings. That would certainly be a welcome sight for Lakers fans.
The squad’s next game will come on Sunday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. That will be a home game for L.A.
