LeBron James doesn’t quiet opposing arenas – he turns them electric. Even on the road, he lifts fans to their feet, drawing roars of admiration with late-game heroics that feel all the more precious as retirement talk lingers. Philadelphia learned that the hard way.
Fresh off the end of his historic double-digit scoring streak, James bounced back as if rewinding the clock. He hit that benchmark by halftime, then tore through the fourth quarter with 10 straight points in a decisive flurry that carried the Lakers to a 112-108 win over the 76ers on Sunday night.
James finished with 29 points on 12-of-17 shooting, a vintage display from a superstar who has spent the season wrestling with injuries. Sciatica sidelined him for the first 14 games and forced him out Friday in Boston, and lingering left foot joint arthritis has shadowed his return. None of it showed in Philadelphia, where he looked every bit the LeBron of old.
The brief time off after James’ double-digit streak ended Thursday at Toronto helped him work through his injuries and get healthier – or healthy enough – in time to face Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers.
“I’m still not 100%, but I felt a lot better tonight than I did coming out of the Toronto game,” James said.
James’ 10-point run in the fourth went like this: a long two, a 3-pointer, another 3 that snapped a tie with 1:12 left, and a 20-foot fadeaway that made it 110-105 and put the game away.
“It never gets old,” James said. “That’s the one thing you won’t be able to get back when you’re done playing. That arena. That excitement of going out, the boos, the cheers, whatever the case. So to do it in a win, it’s even more important. That’s what I hope – I’ll come up clutch in a win. That’s even more exciting.”
James could use some excitement in a season the Lakers have so far successfully navigated without much of his presence. James, who will turn 41 on Dec. 30, played 36 minutes in the Lakers’ 123-120 win over Toronto on Thursday night. That game marked the end of his streak of 1,297 double-digit scoring games when the NBA’s career scoring leader finished with eight points.
By his own description, he’s not in rhythm yet after missing the entire preseason and all but seven games of the regular season with an injury.
“I’ve never not started a basketball season in my life since I started when I was 9 years old,” James said. “When the season started, I was ready to go. It was definitely challenging to me mentally just sitting on the bench, not being able to practice with the guys, not being able to get the reps in with the guys. Definitely challenging. I understand it’s a process, and I’ve always fallen in love with the process more than anything.”
James wasn’t the only returning star for the Lakers.
Luka Doncic was back after he missed the last two games while traveling to his hometown of Ljubljana, Slovenia, where his fiancée, Anamaria Goltes, gave birth to their daughter, Oliva.
“Obviously, two girls, they’re going to make my life hell for sure,” Doncic said with a laugh. “All jokes aside, it’s the best thing in the world.”
Doncic ripped off a triple-double in his first game as a father of two, finishing with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists.
“I want to play the game for them,” Doncic said. “When they grow up, they can see what their father did, basketball-wise.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick, who has two children with his wife, Chelsea, said before the game he hoped Doncic would have enough energy to play after the long trip.
“We do know there was some travel involved to a different continent,” Redick said. “We’re hoping he’s himself today.”
Doncic – who leads the league with 35.3 points in his first full season with the Lakers – was mostly himself, though the five-time All-Star didn’t have a sharp shooting touch but still played 39 minutes.
“Luka, clearly with all the travel he’s had this week, wasn’t necessarily at his best scoring the basketball,” Redick said. “Still did a lot of great stuff for us. LeBron was our connector tonight.”
James was the difference for the Lakers and easily outplayed his fellow 2024 Paris Games gold medalist in Embiid, who missed 17 of 21 shots overall and went 0 for 6 from 3-point range.
James may play another season. He may call it quits at the end of this one.
Either way, the Philadelphia crowd of 20,431 showed its appreciation for a night when James came up big in big moments.
“I do think it’s important to be reminded every now and then of what you’re capable of,” Redick said.
