LeBron James replaces Kobe Bryant as the oldest player with a 30-point triple-double

“I slept last night from 12 [a.m.] to 8 [a.m.], I got up, ate breakfast and went back to sleep from 8:30 [a.m.] to 12:30 [p.m.],” James said after pacing the Lakers with 30 points on 12-for-20 shooting, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and three blocks in 37 minutes against Orlando. At 36 years, 346 days old, James supplanted Lakers great Kobe Bryant as the oldest player ever to drop a 30-point triple-double, according to research by ESPN Stats & Information. Bryant was 36 years, 99 days old when he had 31 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in a win over the Toronto Raptors in November 2014 during his second-to-last season in the NBA.
Source: Dave McMenamin @ ESPN

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
LeBron passes Kobe as oldest player ever to drop a 30-point triple-double sportando.basketball/en/lebron-pass… – 3:33 AM

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Only LeBron would do this…😂😂😂
VIDEO: https://t.co/mbpEyoqCTt pic.twitter.com/KHoQJqDiRe – 2:20 AM

CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
LeBron James’ three incredible blocks highlight triple-double performance in Lakers’ win over Magic
cbssports.com/nba/news/lebro… – 1:05 AM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
“How do I continue how I’m playing? Been doing it for 19 years. Just do what I’ve been doing. I feel like I’m getting better and better each and every day.”
LeBron James was a two-way force on Sunday in a Lakers win: ocregister.com/2021/12/12/leb… – 1:00 AM

Austin Kent @AustinKent
Just checking in to say that @LeBron James has officially reached Elf on the Shelf status in this house. Not sure how that factors into the GOAT debate. pic.twitter.com/Z7ywBsjnuA – 12:41 AM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Talen Horton-Tucker said LeBron’s been a huge resource for him gaining confidence in recent games. He gives advice off the floor, but also on it, he sets screens for THT, plays the decoy for him, finds him on the perimeter with passes and gives him lots of opportunities. – 12:37 AM

Matt Williams @StatsWilliams
LeBron James had a 30-point triple-double against the Magic.
At 36 years and 346 days old, LeBron is the oldest player with a 30-point triple-double in NBA history.
He passed Kobe Bryant, who had one in November 2014 at 36 years and 99 days old. – 12:19 AM

Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Frank Vogel said that the key to unlocking this recent offensive tear from LeBron — six 30-point games over his last eight games — has been downsizing to smaller lineups w/ one or no bigs. Vogel said that the improved floor spacing has created easier driving lanes. – 12:18 AM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Vogel on LeBron tonight: “He’s exemplifying finding joy through hustle. The effort he’s playing with is inspiring our whole group.” – 12:08 AM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Frank Vogel says LeBron has found “joy through hustle,” the happiness of pouring out his energy on the court. He said the Lakers as a team are drawing a lot from his energy. – 12:07 AM

Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Frank Vogel on LeBron: “He was spectacular again. … The effort he’s playing with is inspiring our whole group.” – 12:07 AM

Dave McMenamin @mcten
LeBron says the energy had for his 30-pt triple double on Sunday after playing a road back-to-back Thursday & Friday and flying to Phoenix on Saturday to see his son play is sleep. He said he slept from midnight to 8 a.m. last night, got up for breakfast, then slept 4 more hours – 12:07 AM

Melissa Rohlin @melissarohlin
LeBron James credited his energy tonight to watching his son play and getting a good amount of sleep.
What’s a good night of sleep, @Dave McMenamin asked.
James said he slept from 12 am – 8 am, ate breakfast, then slept again from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm.
So, 12 hours. – 12:06 AM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
After the win at OKC on the 2nd night of a B2B in Year 19, LeBron credited sleep for his energy. Tonight in the walkoff, he also acknowledged the boost he got from watching his son Bronny play in person on NBA courts with Sierra Canyon this past week. – 12:04 AM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
LeBron doing what appears to be an ad read for sleep in this press conference – 12:02 AM

Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Final: Lakers 106, Magic 94
The Lakers improve to 15-13. They’ve won three of their last four games and five of seven overall. LeBron James led the way with a 30-point triple-double (30/11/10) — his sixth 30-point game over his last eight games.
Up next: at Dallas on Wed. – 11:55 PM

Allen Sliwa @AllenSliwa
Lakers over the Magic 106-94…Q3 the difference (+26)…
-Lebron 30pts 11rebs 10ast 3blks
-THT 19pts 5stls
-Russ 19pts 7rebs 5ast 2stls
3 Game road trip starts Wednesday in Dallas vs the Mavs…
@ESPNLosAngeles – 11:54 PM

Dave McMenamin @mcten
Lakers beat the 5-23 Magic soundly, 106-94, in a game LAL led by as many as 25. LeBron 30p on 12-of-19 11r 10a 3b 6tos; Russ 19p on 9-of-18 7r 5a 5tos; THT 19p on 7-of-14 6s; Melo 13p on 3-of-5 from 3. Lakers are 15-3 w/ DAL/MIN/CHI road trip upcoming. – 11:53 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
FINAL: Lakers 106, Magic 94.
The third quarter blew it all open for the Lakers, as did LeBron James (30p, 11 r, 10a) with the triple-double. Lakers held the Magic to 2 for 23 in the pivotal third quarter, and killed in the paint. THT and Russ with 19 points each. – 11:53 PM

Bob Garcia @bgarciaivsports
LeBron with his 101st career triple-double. – 11:52 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
That’s a VEREERRRRYYYYYY liberal 10th assist they gave to LeBron for his triple double, as in, no way that shoulda been an assist – 11:52 PM

Jeff Eisenband @JeffEisenband
LeBron putting on Wendall Carter Jr’s lens is pure comedy. 😂 pic.twitter.com/8p4XvgnicV – 11:36 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
After Q3: Lakers 85, Magic 62.
That was a 36-10 advantage for the Lakers in the third. Orlando went more than 8 minutes between points, almost 10 minutes between field goals. LeBron James was a two-way force, and he’s up to 25 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists. – 11:22 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
LeBron takes a seat at the 2:43 mark of the 3rd after leading LAL to this 29-4 disparity in the period.
He had 2 more big blocks to go with 14 points and 3 assists, for 25 points, 8 boards, 6 assists and 3 blocks in 28 minutes. – 11:17 PM

Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
LeBron red shell pic.twitter.com/YCDeHSBWsY – 11:16 PM

Bob Garcia @bgarciaivsports
21-0 run by the Lakers and it’s all been due to LeBron – 11:16 PM

Evan Dunlap @BQRMagic
this is LeBron’s third block of the night and somehow it’s, like, the least impressive one. He is unreal. pic.twitter.com/vvnyY1AqQi – 11:16 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Yeah. If you don’t think LeBron is still deep in the conversation for the best player in the league, you’re just kinda lying to yourself at this point – 11:15 PM

Kyle Kuzma @kylekuzma
LBJ swat party☝🏽 – 11:15 PM

Bob Garcia @bgarciaivsports
LeBron is on something tonight. Wow. – 11:15 PM

Bob Garcia @bgarciaivsports
Jesus LeBron. This third quarter has been incredible. – 11:15 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
LeBron is an absolute menace. He’s been swatting stuff left and right. The Magic cannot get a break. – 11:14 PM

Khobi Price @khobi_price
LeBron’s having a ridiculous third quarter. – 11:12 PM

Bob Garcia @bgarciaivsports
Are we sure LeBron is in his 19th year? – 11:12 PM

Allen Sliwa @AllenSliwa
Bron is ridiculous… – 11:11 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
LeBron after last game: “I’m starting to get a lot healthier as the season goes on, especially with my low ab and my groin. That’s been feeling a lot better as of the last couple weeks.”
He’s up to 24 points on 10 of 14 FG’s after a big transition dunk. – 11:04 PM

Allen Sliwa @AllenSliwa
Lakers start out the 3rd +11, up 64-56…Lebron with 22pts and 7rebs…THT up to 11pts along with 4 steals… – 11:02 PM

Evan Dunlap @BQRMagic
LeBron James has that look about him. He’s just not going to let the Lakers lose this one. The Magic need to regroup here. – 11:01 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
Another LeBron-led run has LAL up 8 at 64-56, their biggest margin, behind a 15-4 start to the 3rd Q.
LeBron’s up to 22 points with 7 boards and 4 assists, his latest going for THT’s 2nd 3-pointer. – 11:01 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
LeBron took over – 11:00 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
Lakers up by 8 after a THT catch-and-shoot. LeBron makes a point to go toward halfcourt and tell the fans to get loud as Magic call a timeout. – 11:00 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
LeBron was 5 for 5 from 2 in the 1st half, all at the rim, and 0 for 3 from 3.
He started the 2nd half with B2B 3’s to reach 17 points in his 20 minutes, putting LAL up 1. – 10:54 PM

Bill Oram @billoram
Russell Westbrook heads to the locker room with a pretty good limp after that collision at the rim. Lakers trail 52-49. LeBron with 11 points, 7 rebounds. – 10:38 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
A LeBron putback of a Westbrook miss was the final bucket of the first half, as LAL trail 52-49.
Lakers were out-boarded 24-20, including 6-3 on the offensive glass, and shot 43.2% overall. – 10:37 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
HALFTIME: Magic 52, Lakers 49.
Russ looked a little shaken up on the Lakers’ last offensive play, but he’s walking off the court. LeBron leads with 11 points, 7 rebounds. Magic are up in part because even though they have the same number of FGs (19) they have 9 3s to Lakers’ 5. – 10:37 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
LeBron created most everything for the Lakers to start the 2nd Q, and produced a 14-6 stretch capped by THT’s transition dunk, from LeBron.
LAL lead 32-31. – 10:15 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
A go-ahead dunk by THT off the LeBron feed. That lineup really made the Lakers better defensively, unlocking the transition game a bit and propelling them to a 10-2 run. – 10:15 PM

Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
LeBron has made some absurd passes tonight. – 10:14 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
And-1 for LeBron. The Lakers have been bothered by the Magic’s length, and that’s particularly affected the style that Russ wants to play. Lakers trying to soften things up with the super-small lineup. – 10:12 PM

Evan Dunlap @BQRMagic
LeBron with the chasedown block on R.J. Hampton. This is the hardest backboard swat I’ve seen since Dwight got Stephen Curry, like, 12 years ago. The rebound went to midcourt and JJ Redick scooped it up. pic.twitter.com/1EDZVosWc2 – 10:12 PM

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Good grief, LeBron – 10:11 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
LeBron with a classic chasedown. Just picked it off at the top of RJ’s lay-up. – 10:10 PM

Evan Dunlap @BQRMagic
Franz Wagner just turned the corner on LeBron James and banked in a floater – 9:49 PM

NBA Kicks @NBAKicks
👑 @LeBron James goes with the “Uniform Hook” Nike LeBron 19 at home! #NBAKicks pic.twitter.com/QD2abAvL1R – 9:47 PM

Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
LAL opened tonight’s game on a 7-0 run, holding Orlando without a bucket until the 9:07 mark, when rookie Franz Wagner hit a corner 3 at the end of a possession.
LeBron answered with a transition layup to force an early Magic time out. – 9:45 PM

Ben Golliver @BenGolliver
Most career 50-point games (active players)
1. James Harden: 23
t-2. LeBron James: 12
t-2. Damian Lillard: 12
4. Stephen Curry: 10
5. KEVIN DURANT: 7 – 8:29 PM

Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Kevin Durant had an NBA-high 51 points today. Since his rookie season (07-08), only four players have had more 50-point games per @ESPNStatsInfo
Most 50-point games
2007-Present
James Harden 23
Damian Lillard 12
Stephen Curry 10
LeBron James 9
Kevin Durant 7 – 8:28 PM

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
My roommate, who watches only the basketball I force her to, just informed me out of the blue that she’s having a girlfriend over tonight to watch Space Jam.
The LeBron Space Jam.
My life is a monkey’s paw. – 5:02 PM

Kevin Pelton @kpelton
This week’s #peltonmailbag looks at the familiarity factor for the Steph/Draymond combo and the Warriors in general compared to the rest of the league plus questions on LeBron playoff odds, rematches and NBA players vs. namesake cities: es.pn/3EPgWlb (ESPN+) – 4:58 PM

StatMuse @statmuse
There is no debate, LeBron James is the GOAT.
The Greatest Old-guy-of All Time.
➡️ https://t.co/j6g1SIhlE3 pic.twitter.com/B3J4AWvHlx – 4:52 PM

Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Quentin Grimes with 27 points (including a Knicks rookie-record 7 made 3-pointers) in his first start.
Other players to score 25+ in their first NBA start:
Magic Johnson, Isiah Thomas, Ron Harper, Grant Hill, Jerry Stackhouse, Allen Iverson, Lamar Odom, Grant Hill, LeBron James. – 2:13 PM

Jeff Eisenband @JeffEisenband
On this date in 2002, @LeBron James and No. 23 St. Vincent-St. Mary upset No. 1 Oak Hill 65-45. LeBron had 31 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists.
And the 17-year-old gave @JayBilas this legendary interview on ESPN2 after the game. pic.twitter.com/OyIeVGauNc – 10:12 AM

Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA
Eleven years ago, Kobe Bryant hit a ridiculous one-legged buzzer beater over Dwyane Wade. Wade reflected on the game-winner:
“Luckiest shot ever… It was such a Kobe moment. I actually couldn’t be that mad because I looked down and said, ‘That’s Kobe.’” basketballnews.com/stories/wade-l… – 10:02 PM

More on this storyline

StatMuse: 30-point triple-doubles after turning 35 in NBA history: 1 — Kobe Bryant 1 — Larry Bird 4 — LeBron James (including tonight) pic.twitter.com/vpAERqQqsB -via Twitter @statmuse / December 13, 2021

Golden State Warriors star guard Stephen Curry continues to say that the pursuit of Ray Allen’s all-time 3-point record is not weighing on his mind as he sits on the precipice of earning one of the bigger records in basketball. After another lackluster shooting performance — at least by his own lofty standards in Saturday’s 102-93 loss to the 76ers — Curry insisted as much, as he sits just seven 3-pointers from passing Allen. “If you take away the context of these last couple games, I played the exact same way,” Curry said after a 6-for-20 performance, including going just 3-for-14 from beyond the arc. -via ESPN / December 12, 2021

Ryan Ward: LeBron on Steph Curry potentially passing Ray Allen (which LBJ admitted it’s only a matter of time): “Pretty cool accomplishment. … He’s a once in a lifetime basketball player.” -via Twitter @RyanWardLA / December 11, 2021