LeBron James erupted for a season-high 42 points against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.
And he did it at 40 years old.
Facing a familiar foe in Steph Curry, James also put up 17 rebounds and eight assists as the Los Angeles Lakers blew most of a 26-point lead before hanging on to beat the Warriors 120-112.
It was LeBron’s 3-point shooting that really caught the eye, as he hit his first five attempts, including three straight in a 38-second span in the second quarter.
The final shot of that sequence came from the Lakers’ logo at center court, 34 feet from the basket.
James’ performance was not only impressive, but it was also historic, as he became the oldest player in NBA history to score 40 points in a game.
At 40 years and 38 days old, he is a month older than Michael Jordan was when ‘His Airness’ scored 43 points on February 21, 2003, for the Washington Wizards at 40 years and four days old.
James has matched his childhood hero in yet another statistical category, as he further cements his legacy after 22 seasons in the league.
Despite that, he insisted that the most important thing on Thursday night was the result.
“The biggest thing is we got the win, obviously,” James said post-game.
“But throughout my journey, anytime I’ve been named or in the category or whatever the case, crossed paths with any of the greats, it’s always humbling.
“Just to know where I come from. And I love the game so much. So it’s pretty cool.”
With a win over the Warriors, the Lakers move to 30-19 on the season, and sit fifth in the Western Conference.
But one man they didn’t impress on Thursday night was Charles Barkley.
With Los Angeles up by 20 points against Golden State at halftime, the NBA on TNT crew pulled up a tweet that asked when Barkley was going to apologize to the Lakers for his criticism.
“They are really dominating this Golden State Warriors team, this juggernaut they got,” he responded.
“C’mon man. Shut up. Watch the game and shut the hell up.
“I’m not going to overreact to them beating the Warriors. The Lakers are not contenders.”
Sparking a debate with his co-hosts, Barkley then called LA ‘a mediocre team’ and repeatedly shouted that they aren’t contenders.
After the game, in which the Lakers suffered a late scare, he then reiterated his disdain for the team, suggesting his ‘ideal outcome’ nearly unfolded.
“That was so close to my dream finish: for the Lakers to lose,” Barkley remarked.
“I was this close to being in heaven.”
Unsurprisingly, Barkley’s comments quickly gained traction on social media, with many NBA fans branding him a hater.
“He’s so jealous,” one fan wrote on X.
“This is embarrassing. Get him off TV,” another said.
“Bro keeps on hating on the Lakers for no reason, we’re so good we’re living in his head RENT FREE,” a third person wrote.
“You can’t convince a hater,” a fourth simply concluded.
Barkley’s ‘hate’ for the Lakers is nothing new. Back in January, he discussed the reasons behind his criticism for the team.
“Why do I hate the Lakers? It’s always somebody else’s fault,” he said.
“Remember three years ago? It was Russell Westbrook’s fault, then it was Frank Vogel’s fault, then it was D’Angelo Russell’s fault, then it was Darvin Ham’s fault.
“You don’t always blame other people for your shortcomings.”
