LeBron James started the fourth quarter on Wednesday at risk of ending his NBA record streak of consecutive games scoring in double digits.
He ended the game with another remarkable achievement.
The 40-year-old James scored his final 13th point with a buzzer-beating tip-in, giving the Los Angeles Lakers a 120-119 win over the Indiana Pacers, and extending his streak of double-digit games to 1,283. Not that James was focused on the streak.
“It’s whatever it takes to help your teammates win,” James said after a replay confirmed the game-winning basket. “I can do other things to impact the game, that’s the beauty of my game, I’ve always built it my whole life as far as being three-dimensional, being able to get my guys involved, being able to rebound, defend and sprinkle some points in here and there.”
As the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, James has done much more than just “sprinkle” points, especially against the Pacers. Wednesday was no exception. He came close to a triple-double, finishing with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists, despite shooting just 4 of 12 from the field and missing all three of his 3-point attempts.
It looked like the Pacers might finally have the upper hand on James, who they’ve faced numerous times. They held him to 0-for-6 shooting with just three points through the first three quarters, forcing him to pass as Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves stepped up for the Lakers.
Stats people started looking at James’ lowest field goal totals and remembered his last single-digit scoring game, an eight-point performance against Milwaukee on January 5, 2007.
But as the Pacers closed the gap from a 17-point deficit to 95-92 after three quarters, James returned to form.
LeBron James and Pascal Siakam in the 2nd half“Obviously, I know I can score the ball,” he said. “But until we find a little rhythm offensively or whatever the case may be, the defensive side is the most important for our ballclub.”
James scored his first basket just 49 seconds into the fourth quarter. Another basket came 37 seconds later, followed by two free throws and a driving layup, putting the Lakers up 105-92 with just under 9 1/2 minutes left.
The Pacers weren’t done, though.
Indiana fought back, retaking the lead for the final time on Tyrese Haliburton’s three-point play with 42.2 seconds left, giving them a 119-118 lead. This put the Lakers in danger of losing their fourth straight game.
But James wasn’t going to let that happen. With the clock running down and Doncic taking a midrange shot that bounced off the rim, James appeared out of nowhere.
“I was just trying to read the ball off the rim,” James said. “It kind of looked like it was a little short, but I knew it had a chance to bounce in if it hit the front rim. Once it came out, I kind of wanted to tap it with enough time. Obviously, you could probably see me looking over at the Jumbotron to see if I actually got it in time and it was a good play for us.”
It was yet another frustrating chapter in the Pacers’ rivalry with James, who had eliminated them from the playoffs multiple times, first with Miami and then again with Cleveland.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever been walked off in the NBA, so probably fitting,” Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said after talking with James following the game. “It was obviously a great play by a great player.”
