LeBron 'defies' age with another historic 40 in win

PORTLAND -- Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick said his team didn't get to its hotel in Portland until nearly 3 a.m. Thursday after flying from L.A. following its game against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.

The prospect of playing the Trail Blazers on the road on the second night of a back-to-back with Luka Doncic out to manage his left calf injury and LeBron James questionable because of a left foot and ankle injury was daunting to Redick.

Then again, maybe Redick should have counted on James delivering the way he has done throughout his 22-year career after the 40-year-old Lakers star dropped 40 points to lead L.A. to a 110-102 win.

"He really just defies anything that's normal," Redick said. "And not just the physical feats and the plays. It's the mentality. ... He's a billionaire. And he's playing on the second night of a back-to-back at 40 after 22 years with every fricking record and every accolade. ... It's like, he's amazing to coach. ... He sets the standard for how you're supposed to approach this craft."

James, when asked about his motivation to continue pushing his body through the rigorous NBA schedule when he's already accomplished everything imaginable in the sport, pointed to passing on that standard to his son, Lakers rookie Bronny James.

"I still love the game, and I still got a lot to give to the game, to give to my teammates, to give to this league for while I'm here," James said. "I don't have much time left. So, while I'm here today in this time, I'm going to try to give what I got when I'm out on the floor.

"So, why? It's the love of the game and I have an opportunity now to show my son the ranks of how to be a professional in this league. And to be along [with] him every single day, that's a treat."

It was James' second time reaching 40 points since his 40th birthday in December, making him the only player in NBA history with multiple 40-point games at age 40 or older. The Lakers are 2-0 in those games.

James did it Thursday while playing in the 1,542nd regular-season game of his career, passing Vince Carter for No. 3 on the all-time list.

He also tied a career high with 11 turnovers, the third time in his career he has committed double-digit miscues. His teams are, surprisingly, undefeated in those games too, going 3-0.

Redick said the Lakers played with a proper edge, winning their game with effort while overcoming a 9-for-32 (28.1%) shooting night from 3-point range, a bunch of turnovers and Doncic's absence.

"There's actually only one cheat code in the NBA, and that's playing hard," Redick said. "If you play hard every night, you have a chance to win. If you don't play hard every night, you're probably going to lose."

James agreed.

"That's the best way to play in this league," he said. "The best way to compete in this league is to play hard. You can get through a lot of games if you're able to just play hard. You're able to cover up for a lot of mistakes. We had 24 turnovers for 31 points. I had half of those. ... It definitely makes up for it when you're able to cover for one other and you're able to play hard. It's going to help us win a lot of ballgames."

Lakers guard Austin Reaves, who had 32 points and seven assists and made several key defensive plays down the stretch, said he was excited to hear that James was going to play against Charlotte and Portland after he missed the All-Star game because of his left foot injury. James' mere presence gave Reaves confidence in L.A.'s chances.

"He really doesn't have anything else to prove," Reaves said. "And if people say he does, then they're [Michael] Jordan fans."