The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 112-108 on Sunday, and by doing so, All-Star LeBron James earned his 1,015th career win, granting him the second-most individual wins in NBA history.
James spoke about the honor after the game and provided a humble take on what it meant to him.
“Appreciate the ones that came before me because they laid down the stones, they lay down the path and I'm trying to do the same thing for next generation,” James told reporters after the contest.
The four-time NBA champion posted a season-high 29 points, along with seven rebounds and six assists, while shooting 12-of-17 from the field.
“You just play the game how it unfolds,” James told Dan Woike of The Athletic. “I feel like (Austin Reaves) had some really good looks tonight, but he wasn’t in the rhythm that he’s been in all season. And I understood that traveling from a different country back here with a newborn could be very taxing on you, not only mentally [but] physically, and shout out to (Luka Dončić) and his family for the newborn. That’s amazing.
“So I felt like the opportunity kind of presented itself in a way that if I felt like my two heavy hitters kind of didn’t have it or needed a little kick … I tried to punch in from there.”
The win moved the Lakers to a 17-6 record on the season, and head coach JJ Redick was sure to make an intriguing point about what Sunday’s performance represented for James.
“I do think it’s important to be reminded every now and then of what you’re capable of,” coach JJ Redick said. “And for him to have the injuries, and then to sort of start the season playing catch-up in a way, and start the season playing catch-up with a team that is also in a really good rhythm, and that’s, as a player, I don’t care how good you are, that’s tough to figure out. So tonight was super important.”
