As the Los Angeles Lakers’ superstar LeBron James begins another season in the NBA, there’s a sense of excitement in the basketball world. Many believe that this season could be unlike any other. At the age of 39, he holds the distinction of being the oldest player in the game today. Yet, he continues to demonstrate that he’s one of the best in the league. The long-lasting nature of LeBron’s career has been truly remarkable. He shows no signs of slowing down, even as he starts his 21st year in the league.
LeBron James Is Set To Achieve Another Big Record
According to Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, he has made a bold prediction. He believes that LeBron James could become the second player in NBA history to score 50 points at the age of 39. To put it into perspective, Jamal Crawford is currently the only player in league history to have achieved this feat. He scored 51 points against the Dallas Mavericks on April 9, 2019. Last season, LeBron’s highest-scoring game was 48. It fell just short of the half-century mark. However, Bailey believes he’ll reach that milestone in the 2023-24 season, following his 39th birthday in December. If James accomplishes this, it would be an incredible achievement for one of the league’s greatest scorers.
Throughout his illustrious career, LeBron James has consistently showcased his scoring skills. For him to reach the 50-point mark in his 21st season would be a testament to his enduring greatness. While the Lakers aim to succeed this year, James will need co-star Anthony Davis to step up. Davis plays a crucial role on the team. However, as history has shown, every so often, James has one of those extraordinary games where he seems unstoppable. It only takes one of these exceptional performances for him to surpass the half-century mark. Two years ago, he achieved the remarkable feat of surpassing the 50-point mark. There’s a strong possibility that he could replicate this performance again in the upcoming season.
King Hoping for Consistency Within the Team
The Los Angeles Lakers made significant changes to their supporting cast around LeBron James and Anthony Davis during the past winter. They acquired talents such as Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, and Jarred Vanderbilt in multiple trades. Despite the requirement to swiftly develop chemistry among the new additions, the team achieved one of the NBA’s top records. Their defensive ratings improved significantly following the All-Star break. Their impressive performance led them to the Western Conference Finals. This summer, the Lakers retained Hachimura, Russell, and Austin Reaves. They also added some new role players via free agency to maintain the budding continuity. However, this current version of the Lakers has only been together for a few months, and their chemistry remains a work in progress. LeBron James acknowledges this, emphasizing that it’s only the second game of the season and there’s still room for improvement in terms of team cohesion and integration.
He recognizes the challenge of incorporating new pieces into the system and sees it as a process that will take time. Despite having a strong core, the team is evolving, and the players are adapting to new roles, making it a journey that extends beyond the initial two games. In the coming weeks, the Lakers face tough matchups against the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Clippers, but after starting the season against formidable opponents like the Suns and the Denver Nuggets, their schedule is set to ease up. This will provide them with the opportunity to build deeper and more functional chemistry and cohesion within the team. LeBron James continues to defy the odds and is poised to add another chapter to his storied career, while the Lakers aim to build the necessary chemistry for a successful season ahead.
