LeBron James Overtakes Kobe Bryant to Etch His Name in Lakers Record Books

The eighth seed Portland Trail Blazers upset the first seed Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the first-round playoffs. After an intensely competitive game, the Blazers came out on top after abysmal shooting from the Lakers. But despite the loss, Lakers star LeBron James did what he does best: break records.

After yet another all-round performance, LeBron got his 22nd triple-double for the Lakers. He overtook Kobe Bryant for the third most triple-doubles in Lakers’ history. Mamba had 21 in his 20-year career with the Lakers.

Despite the record, LeBron will be gutted that it wasn’t enough to guarantee a win for the Lakers. He is competitive and only cares about wins more than personal records, and tonight he would have been happy to trade the record for a win.

LeBron James: Turning into a triple-double machine?

As he grew older, LeBron’s athleticism took a hit, but his basketball IQ went through the roof. This boosted his playmaking skills, and LeBron found a new way to be a menace to the opposition. In his first 13 seasons in the league, he averaged 6.9 assists per game. But in the last four years, he is averaging a whopping 9.1 assists per game.

His athleticism has always helped him to be a big help on the boards, but now with his first-class passing skills, he is a triple-double threat every night. After managing 42 triple-doubles (regular season) in his first 13 seasons, he has now got 52 in just the last four seasons.

Tonight he finished with 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 16 assists in a great all-round performance. The only blemish in his performance tonight was being unable to take them to a win. With him being a superstar and one of the best leaders in the game, the Lakers would have expected him to lead them to a win. But they were also let down by Anthony Davis, who shot just 8/24 all game.

The Lakers will come back with a fight on August 20 when they face the Blazers in Game 2. They know that if they can improve their shooting, they can come away with a win.