Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James added another captivating performance to his legendary career with a standout display against their hometown rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, on Wednesday, February 28, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.
Despite the Lakers being designated as the "away team" for this matchup, it didn't seem to make a difference, as the crowd roared every time James scored.
Facing a 21-point deficit at 98-77 with 11:45 remaining in the fourth quarter, the NBA's all-time leading scorer delivered a performance for the ages. He scored 19 points in the period, surpassing the Clippers team, which only managed 16 points.
James scored or assisted in 11 of the Lakers' 12 final buckets and made five three-pointers in the fourth quarter, ultimately leading the Lakers to a remarkable comeback and a 116-112 victory.
The four-time NBA champion finished the night with 34 points, six rebounds, and eight assists, shooting 13-of-21 from the field and 7-of-12 from beyond the arc in 37 minutes of action.
"Just a zone. You can't really describe it. You wish you could stay in it forever. But during it, you don't feel anything. You just have a superpower," James said when asked about his performance.
Meanwhile, Clippers star Kawhi Leonard was disappointed about the comeback but gave the Lakers credit.
"Things like this shouldn't happen. But like I said, you gotta give the Lakers credit. They fought, they stayed within the game. They caused turnovers, got out and transitioned and made shots," the two-time NBA Finals MVP said.
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Is win over Clippers the best performance of LeBron James' career?
James has a storied history of incredible games throughout his career, and this performance ranks close to the top, given the context.
As the oldest active player in the league at the age of 39 and in his 21st season, he is just one year away from tying the all-time record set by Vince Carter, who played 22 seasons.
Despite his longevity, James remains a difference-maker on the floor, continuing to assert himself as arguably a top-10 player in the NBA, an unprecedented feat. Players in their 20th season and above usually get less playing time and are not the focal point of their teams.
This game marked the largest fourth-quarter comeback for the Lakers since 2003, the year the 20-time NBA All-Star was drafted.
It was also the largest fourth-quarter comeback in James' illustrious career, and he was the major catalyst instead of sitting on the bench and watching the younger guys do the work.
"Everybody was just cheering him on. He had to tape a cape tucked under his seat on the bench, I guess. He had to whip it out, he definitely did that, put the cape on and just got aggressive and got in a good rhythm," Lakers head coach Darvin Ham said as he described the all-time great's display.
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