LeBron James Follows Kobe Bryant’s Footsteps With History-Making Performance Against Phoenix Suns

LeBron James has added another impressive feat to his resume. The 38-year-old superstar became the first Los Angeles Lakers player since Kobe Bryant in 2004 to record at least 20 points, 10 assists, and five steals in a single game.

The Lakers hosted the Phoenix Suns for their NBA In-Season Tournament Quarterfinals matchup on Tuesday evening (Dec. 5). They defeated Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and co. 106-103, marking their third victory against the Suns in as many games this season.

King James’ final stat line was 31 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds, and five steals. This dominant performance also made him the oldest active player to record five steals in a game since the statistic became official in the 1973-1974 season.

This major feat follows some more history LeBron James made in November. The four-time NBA Champion passed 39,000 all-time points during the Los Angeles Lakers’ Nov. 21 game against the Utah Jazz, increasing his chances of maintaining his spot as the NBA’s all-time scoring leader for several years to come. Coincidentally, his 39,000th point came via a three-pointer, which moved him to seventh on the all-time three-pointers made list behind Steph Curry, Ray Allen, James Harden, Reggie Miller, Kyle Korver, and Damian Lillard.

The Lakers will take on the New Orleans Pelicans in the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament’s Semifinals on Thursday (Dec. 7). If victorious, they will advance to the championship game on Saturday (Dec. 9) in Las Vegas against either the Indiana Pacers or Milwaukee Bucks.

The Lakers currently hold the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a 13-9 record. They have notably won seven of their last 10 games, inspiring a lot of confidence in their championship potential after a 6-6 start to the season.

The Lakers haven’t made the NBA Finals since 2020 and got the closest they have ever been over the last few years this past season. They took on the eventual NBA Champion Denver Nuggets and suffered a disappointing 4-0 sweep. Coincidentally, they sit behind the Nuggets in the Western Conference standings by one and a half games.

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