LeBron James secures a double-double in the 4th quarter against the Jazz
The long-awaited return LeBron James from a sciatica injury seemed in danger as Los Angeles Lakers were down against the Utah Jazz early in the third quarter at Cripto.com Arena on Tuesday.
The Lakers, however, went on a mini run to steal the lead, 89-88, after a layup by Luka Doncic. From there, the momentum shifted to the purple and gold, outscoring the Jazz in the third frame, 37-22.
At 8:25 of the fourth quarter, James secured a double-double in his season debut after a great assist to Deandre Ayton. The four-time MVP had a huge smile on his face as he headed to the bench after Utah called a timeout.
The Lakers cruised to a 140-125 victory for their third straight win and improved to 11-4.
The 40-year-old James, who officially set a new record by playing in his 23rd season, finished with 11 points and 12 assists with three rebounds and one steal in 30 minutes. He also passed Reggie Miller for sixth in career three-pointers.
James still looked a little nervous in his first action in a few months. Before the game, he admitted that he needs to work on his endurance, because “his lungs feel like a newborn.”
Now that he’s gotten his feet wet this season, it will only be a matter of time before the future Hall of Famer gets his groove back. However, it remains unclear whether coach JJ Redick will be particularly cautious about James’ playing time.
The Lakers will have an extended layoff before meeting the Jazz again on Sunday.
2025-11-19 06:17:00
