LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers beat a frisky Oklahoma City Thunder team to move to an NBA best 12-2 and sweep their four-game homestand.
It was a tight contest throughout the entire night as the Thunder did a good job of battling back and coming up with answers every time the Lakers tried to go on a run to put the game away. However, Los Angeles managed to score 30 points in transition and that would ultimately be the reason why they came out with the win.
James earned another triple-double in this game and it was a monumental one as he became the first player in NBA history to record one against every team in the league.
Following the 112-107 win over the Thunder, James seemed to downplay the accomplishment.
“I really don’t know what to think about it, to be honest. I’ve had some great teammates and great coaches that put me in position to be able to facilitate. My teammates have made shots for me throughout my career. Coaches have put me in position to be successful scoring the ball and I’ve just tried to read and react the ball off the rim as far as getting the rebounds,” James said.
“And hopefully, throughout all those triple-doubles, I hope I got a winning record in those games cause that’s what’s most important. I really don’t know what to really think about it, I think it’s a pretty cool stat to know and I’m glad it happened in a win.”
The feat is nothing short of amazing given how difficult it is to attain a triple-double on any given night — let alone doing it at least once against each team in the NBA. Against the Thunder, James had 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists and was key in ensuring the Lakers got the win.
The 34-year-old has proven to everyone that he still has more than enough left in the tank in his 17th NBA season and nights like the one against Oklahoma City are more proof that he is still arguably the best player in the world. His ability to affect the game in so many areas is the biggest reason why Los Angeles currently holds the best record and should be considered a serious championship contender.
To James’ point, triple-doubles are not very meaningful unless they come in a victory but they should still be celebrated when the time calls for it. For now, the purple and gold will happily take the wins.