The Los Angeles Lakers have found their stride post-All-Star break, rebounding from a shaky 1-3 stretch with back-to-back blowout victories—first dismantling the Golden State Warriors, then routing the Sacramento Kings—to improve to 36-24 on the season. Leading both dominant performances was LeBron James, who delivered 22 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds against Golden State before following up with 24 points versus Sacramento.
During Sunday night’s rout of the Kings at Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers announced a significant milestone after one of James’ assists: The 41-year-old superstar has officially moved into the top five in franchise history for career assists.
The team celebrated on social media: “Top fiiiiive in Laker diiiiimes 5️⃣” with a graphic highlighting the achievement. James passed Lakers legend Michael Cooper on the list, though he still trails Norm Nixon, Jerry West, Kobe Bryant, and the untouchable Magic Johnson—a mark that remains far out of reach in Los Angeles.
This assist milestone arrived just one night after James joined Kobe Bryant as the only Lakers players to surpass 1,000 made three-pointers with the franchise—another testament to his remarkable evolution since joining in 2018.
LeBron’s Continued Elite Production in L.A. In eight seasons with the Lakers, James has cemented his legacy as one of the organization’s all-time greats. This season, despite turning 41, he remains a driving force, averaging 21.6 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.6 rebounds across 42 games. His ability to facilitate, score efficiently, and impact winning at this age continues to defy expectations.
The back-to-back blowouts signal a potential turning point for the Lakers, who have battled inconsistency but now appear locked in. With LeBron leading the charge—both on the stat sheet and in milestones—the team is positioning itself for a strong push in the final stretch of the regular season.
James’ time in purple and gold may be nearing its end—he enters unrestricted free agency this offseason and has acknowledged his NBA career is winding down (whether after this year or next). Yet his production shows no signs of slowing, adding layers to an already legendary Lakers tenure.