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LeBron James secured a place alongside fellow great Michael Jordan in the NBA record books as his 40-point haul helped the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Brooklyn Nets 116-104.
James is only the second player, after Jordan, to score 40 points in more than one NBA game after the age of 39.
Jordan, who played until he was 40, achieved that feat three times with James, 39, having now done it twice.
“Any time I’m linked with the greats, it’s pretty cool,” James said.
D’Angelo Russell scored 18 to move beyond 10,000 career points, while James also matched a career high by registering nine three-pointers at Barclays Center, New York.
“I love this game. I try to put everything into the game and with it, it gives back to me,” James said.
“I just try to continually put my game where I have no weaknesses out on the floor, especially offensively. Tonight I had it going from the three-point line.”
The Lakers are ninth in the Western Conference and on track for a play-off berth with the Nets sitting 11th in the Eastern.
Elsewhere, the Oklahoma City Thunder clinched a play-off spot for the first time since 2020 with a 113-112 win against the New York Knicks.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tipped the game in Thunder’s favour when he scored the winning point with just 2.6 seconds remaining.
The Denver Nuggets also ensured they will be involved in the season-ending play-offs after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-101.
Nikola Jokic, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, starred for the Nuggets, registering his 23rd triple-double of the season with 26 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists.
“It speaks to why he’s going to be a three-time MVP,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said.
“[It was] him showing up and saying, ‘I’m going to do what MVPs do. I’m going to lead us to a win.'”
The Dallas Mavericks made it seven wins on the bounce as Luka Doncic scored 47 points and matched his career-high of nine three-pointers in a 125-107 victory at the Houston Rockets.
Doncic also added 12 rebounds and seven assists to bring an end to the Rockets’ 11-game winning streak.
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