After 20 seasons in the NBA, there isn’t much LeBron James has yet to accomplish. From championship games to the Olympics and movies, the man has been one of the best on and off the court since 2003. With his name mentioned with the same reverence as Michael Jordan or the late Kobe Bryant, it’s shocking to learn he still had things left undone.
Yet with under 30 seconds on the clock in overtime, and playing in his 45th minute, LeBron nailed a crisp layup and took a foul from Dillon Brooks. Roaring for the crowd with an open mouth, LeBron put his Lakers up by five and ended up nailing a 117-111 victory and a 3-1 series lead. While that alone is great, he also achieved his first 20 point (he finished with 22) and 20 rebound game.
A number that means little to people besides stats watchers and players, this achievement has eluded LeBron for his entire career and also set the record for the oldest player to earn this achievement since Wilt Chamberlin did it at 36 back in 1973.
Speaking with ESPN after the game, LeBron said “I’ve done some pretty cool things in my career. I’ve never had 20 and 20 before. So, that’s pretty cool… These are the moments that I love. I love the postseason. I’ve been a part of a lot of the games and I just love being able to make plays and be out there with my teammates to give them experiences that they maybe never had before.”
