If there were any doubts about whether LeBron James can still play at an elite level in his 21st season, he eased those concerns Thursday against the Phoenix Suns.
The Los Angeles Lakers trailed by 12 points after three quarters, and at this point, James was having an underwhelming game (by his standards). But he played every minute of the fourth quarter, helping the Lakers come back and win 100-95. He scored 10 points in the last quarter, including 3 layups, and finished the game with 21 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals.
With seven seconds left and Los Angeles up by five and victory all but assured, James leaped high and blocked an inbounds pass from Kevin Durant. The deflected photo circulated on social media and illustrates just how high James can jump, even with a lot of wear and tear on his body.
It was thought the four-time MVP was on a time limit, but he ended up playing a total of 35 minutes, proving that was more of a guideline than a limit. Regardless, the team will have two full days off before taking on the free-and-easy Sacramento Kings on the road on Sunday.