LeBron James Returns to the Court with the Lakers: Record in his 23rd Season
Lakers superstar LeBron James made his season debut in the 140-126 victory against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night, marking the start of his 23rd season, a league record. James demonstrated his worth with 11 points, 12 assists, and 3 rebounds in 30 minutes of play, contributing to the Lakers scoring 140 points, their season high. In the third quarter, he made a layup that extended his streak of double-digit scoring games to 1,293 games, a record that spans all games played since January 6, 2007.James, 40 years old, was out of the courts for the first 14 games of the season due to sciatica, a nerve problem that affected his lower back and the right side of his body. With his participation against the Jazz, James became the first player in NBA history to play 23 seasons, surpassing Vince Carter’s record. He quickly found his rhythm, putting on a display of play in the second half, as the Lakers pulled away from Utah.“I just thought he played with the right spirit. Very unselfish all night. He was willing to pass the ball, didn’t force anything, made his drives and shots when they were available,” Lakers coach JJ Redick commented. “The defense is going to pay attention to him, particularly when he has the ball in the post, especially when he’s driving to the rim, and I thought he made a lot of good decisions tonight. It’s really good to have him back.”
JJ Redick, Lakers Coach
James’ return came after a rehabilitation assignment with the G League’s South Bay Lakers last week, while the team was on a five-game road trip and after going through consecutive days of practice without experiencing any lingering pain. James, already the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, entered Tuesday 50 games away from Robert Parish of the Boston Celtics for the all-time lead in games played and is now 496 assists away from Jason Kidd for the number 3 spot on the all-time list. James didn’t score in his first 11 minutes on the court, but his two three-pointers in the first half put him ahead of Indiana Pacers shooter Reggie Miller for 6th place on the all-time list.“After the game, waiting for the guys to get back to the locker room, I think the word we were using as a coaching staff was our composure as a group,” Redick said. “Not overreacting, not separating ourselves, solving problems, all of that in real time, and just continuing to play. And that was sometimes lacking last year.”
JJ Redick, Lakers Coach
