LeBron James poured in 42 points to join Michael Jordan as the only 40-year-olds to score 40 points in an NBA game as the host Los Angeles Lakers notched a 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.
James also grabbed a season-best 17 rebounds to go with eight assists and six 3-pointers in an epic performance as the Lakers won their fourth straight game and 10th in their past 12.
Jordan scored 43 points for the Washington Wizards against the New Jersey Nets on Feb. 21, 2003, four days after his 40th birthday. James turned 40 on Dec. 30.
Austin Reaves added 23 points and Gabe Vincent scored 15 on five 3-pointers for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes had 11 points apiece and Jarred Vanderbilt collected 14 rebounds.
Stephen Curry had 37 points and seven rebounds for the Warriors. Curry scored 19 points in the fourth quarter, when he made four 3-pointers (he finished 6 of 20 for the game).
Buddy Hield and Moses Moody scored 14 points each, while Pat Spencer and Draymond Green added 13 apiece for Golden State.
Neither Warriors newcomer Jimmy Butler nor Lakers addition Luka Doncic (calf) played.
The Lakers shot 50 percent, including 13 of 35 from 3-point range.
Golden State made 40.6 percent of its shots, including 16 of 53 from behind the arc.
Curry drained a trey to bring the Warriors within 115-109 with 1:02 left, but Hachimura’s dunk with 48.1 seconds left helped the Lakers hold on for their third straight win over Golden State this season.
Golden State trailed by 20 at halftime but pulled within 83-77 on a basket by Spencer with 3:11 left in the third quarter. The Lakers answered with a closing 7-2 push to lead 90-79 entering the fourth quarter.
James hit a jumper to start the final stanza before Golden State scored eight of the next nine points and crept within 93-87 on Moody’s 3-pointer with 9:48 left.
A 3-pointer by Curry brought the Warriors within 109-104 with 3:40 remaining.
James drained a 3-pointer with 1:08 left to go over the 40-point mark.
The Lakers started fast and led 34-21 after the first quarter.
James drained three 3-pointers in 38 seconds — the last from 34 feet — as part of an 11-0 run in which Los Angeles took a 47-23 lead with 8:26 remaining in the half. The lead was later 26 before the Lakers settled for a 69-49 halftime advantage.
–Field Level Media
