LeBron James recently made history by becoming the oldest player in NBA history to score 40 points in a single game. Here are the full details of his historic performance:
Game Details
- Date and Opponent: LeBron James achieved this milestone on Thursday, February 7, 2025, during a game against the Golden State Warriors.
- Score: The Los Angeles Lakers won the game with a score of 120-112.
- Performance: LeBron scored a season-high 42 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, and contributed eight assists.
Historical Significance
- Oldest Player to Score 40 Points: At age 40 years and 38 days, LeBron became the oldest player to achieve this feat. He joins Michael Jordan as one of only two players to have scored over 40 points after turning 40[1][3][4].
- Youngest and Oldest Milestone: LeBron also holds the distinction of being both the youngest (19 years and 88 days) and now the oldest player in NBA history to score more than 40 points[4][7].
Key Moments in the Game
- Second Quarter Performance: LeBron was particularly impressive during a stretch where he hit three consecutive three-pointers within just over half a minute. The third shot was from beyond half court at Crypto.com Arena’s logo[2][5].
- Late Game Heroics: As Golden State closed their deficit late in the fourth quarter, James stepped up by hitting his sixth three-pointer with just over one minute left. He followed it with an assist for Rui Hachimura’s dunk that sealed their victory[5].
Post-game Reaction
After achieving this milestone, LeBron humorously noted his age saying: “What do I think? That I’m old,” but emphasized that being mentioned alongside legends like Michael Jordan is always humbling for him[2][6].
The Lakers’ win marked their fourth consecutive victory as they continue strong play ahead of Luka Dončić’s expected debut with them on Monday night against Utah Jazz[1][3].
Citations:
[1] https://sports.yahoo.com/lebron-james-becomes-both-oldest-and-youngest-player-to-score-40-points-in-nba-history-060240800.html
[2] https://lakersnation.com/lakers-lebron-james-after-40-point-game-at-40-years-of-age-im-old/
[3] https://apnews.com/article/lebron-james-lakers-42-points-733480f56708f3a25c4adab6a94b7da8
[4] https://www.olympics.com/en/news/lebron-james-surpasses-michael-jordan-for-new-nba-record
[5] https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/lebron-james-oldest-player-score-40-points-nba-118560233
[6] https://basketnews.com/news-219310-lebron-on-his-historic-40-point-game-what-do-i-think-that-im-old.html
[7] https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/07/sport/lebron-james-michael-jordan-40-points-spt-intl/index.html
[8] https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/lebron-james-40-point-games
[9] https://www.nba.com/watch/video/lebron-james-first-40-point-game
[10] https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/lebron-james-40-point-games-every-season
[11] https://www.si.com/nba/lebron-james-40-points-40-years-old-history-michael-jordan-lakers-warriors
