NBA: LeBron James leads Los Angeles Lakers to dominant win over Brooklyn Nets

LeBron James scored 40 points to help the Los Angeles Lakers defeat the Brooklyn Nets 116-104, joining the great Michael Jordan in the NBA record books.

James is the second player after Jordan to score 40 points in more than one NBA game after turning 39.

Jordan, who played until he was 40, accomplished the feat three times, while James, 39, has now accomplished it twice.

“Any time I’m connected to a great guy, it’s pretty cool,” James said.

D’Angelo Russell scored 18 points to surpass 10,000 career points, while James tied a career high with nine 3-pointers at New York’s Barclays Center.

“I love this game. I try to put everything into it and it gives back to me,” James said.

“I just try to keep pushing my game to where I don’t have weaknesses on the floor, especially offensively. I scored from beyond the arc tonight.”

The Lakers are ninth in the Western Conference and expected to make the playoffs, while the Nets are 11th in the Eastern Conference.

In other places, Oklahoma City Thunder Defeated the New York Knicks 113-112 and secured a play-in spot for the first time since 2020.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored the game-winner with 2.6 seconds left to swing the game in the Thunder’s favor.

this denver nuggets They also secured a spot in the late-season playoffs after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-101.

Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic had a stellar performance for the Nuggets, recording 26 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists for his 23rd triple-double of the season.

“It shows why he’s going to be a three-time MVP,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said.

“(It’s) him showing up and saying, ‘I’m going to do what the MVP does. I’m going to lead us to victory.'”

this dallas mavericks Luka Doncic scored 47 points and hit a career-high nine 3-pointers, helping the Houston Rockets advance to seven games with a 125-107 victory.

Doncic also contributed 12 rebounds and 7 assists, ending the Rockets’ 11-game winning streak.