LeBron marks 38th birthday with 47 points in Lakers’ win over Hawks

LeBron James’ 38th birthday will be one to remember.

The Los Angeles Lakers star registered a season-high 47 points to go along with 10 rebounds and nine assists to lead his team to a 130-121 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

James shot 18-of-27 from the field in 40 minutes, including 4-of-6 from deep, and converted 7-of-9 from the free-throw line. Prior to Friday, James produced a season-high 39 points against the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 26.

“I called it before the game, so I had to make it happen,” James told Spectrum SportsNet’s Mike Trudell postgame. “After starting 1-for-5, I didn’t know it was going to happen.”

Friday’s performance is the second-most points ever scored by James on his birthday. The 18-time All-Star recorded 48 points upon turning 25 in 2009 toward the end of his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, per Stathead. That game was also against the Hawks.

His 47 points are also the third-most scored by a player aged 38 or older, eclipsing the 46 points tallied by a 38-year-old Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1986.

PLAYER AGE POINTS DATE TEAM VS. OPP
Jamal Crawford 39 51 April 9 2019 PHO vs. DAL
Michael Jordan 38 51 Dec. 29 2001 WAS vs. CHA
LeBron James 38 47 Dec 30 2022 LAL vs. ATL
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38 46 Feb. 6 1986 LAL vs. HOU
Micahel Jordan 38 45 Dec. 31 2001 WAS vs. NJN

James’ season-best performance comes just days after he lamented the Lakers’ disappointing season thus far, saying he didn’t want to end his career “at this level, from a team aspect.”

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