Basketball world star LeBron James delivered a triple double for the first time this season on his return to Madison Square Garden in New York.
In the legendary arena, James recorded 28 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in the 129:123 after the Los Angeles Lakers overtime against the New York Knicks. James is now only 89 points short of the NBA’s points record. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is still in first place with 38,387 points.
Depending on the result against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, James could already break the record against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night. “I’m not leaving, I’m staying in this league for at least a few more years, so I’m going to make it and that’s why it doesn’t feel difficult,” said James.
Lakers coach praises: “He just does everything”
Another achievement of the 38-year-old demonstrated that he is not only exceptionally good at scoring himself, but also at preparing baskets for teammates: James overtook Mark Jackson and Steve Nash in the game against the Knicks in the leaderboard for assists and is now in fourth place with 10,338 assists. “I’m playing the game right. I try to be a threat every night in every area, scoring, rebounding, assisting, defending. And then let the chips fall as they fall,” said James.
“He does everything,” said Lakers coach Darvin Ham after the Lakers’ 24th win of the season. “That’s what the big ones do and he’s up there with all of them.”
One of the assists quickly became one of the highlights of the evening – because national team captain Dennis Schröder put the ball from the center line into the basket before half-time when the clock was running out, but didn’t even look after the ball. Schröder ended the evening with twelve points, six assists and a rebound.
