Three-time NBA champion James Worthy’s statement about LeBron James — “he just does what LeBron does” — is not just praise for a single game after the 119-103 win against the Golden State Warriors.
That’s because King James always tells the media that he considers himself a passer first. Yet today, he has over 50,000 points and is just two assists away from reaching 12,000 career assists.
On Thursday, against the Warriors at the Chase Center, James displayed the same aggressive leadership at this age that he has shown for 23 seasons – and yes, in this game, the team needed him more than ever.
The past week has been quite tough for the Lakers. The Purple and Gold lost key players Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic, and Marcus Smart to injuries, and suffered defeats against the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder. After this hellacious week, the Lakers desperately needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. At such a time, the 41-year-old took charge, scoring 26 points, dishing out 11 assists, and grabbing 8 rebounds in 32 minutes.
James, who is averaging 20.9 points this season, looked aggressive from the start, playing with his opponents in the paint like “barbecue chicken” (a term coined by Shaquille O’Neal), he also hit three out of five three-pointers.
“He led tonight knowing that they were without two components,” Worthy said during the episode of Spectrum Sportsnet. “He just does what LeBron does… he did it in a very aggressive way by starting in the paint. Shaquille O’Neal calls that barbecue chicken when you’re down there in the paint.”
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He is one of only 31 players in NBA history to play after turning 40, but he is the only one who ranks in the top 3 in scoring, rebounding, and assists. James is now playing against players whose fathers he once played against. In this match, he and his son, Bronny, even assisted each other, adding another new chapter to history.
The Lakers were struggling with injuries and losses, but James, with an efficiency of 64.7% field goals, brought the team back into the win column. LeBron James still loves the process of the game as much as he ever did, and that is the secret to his success.
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