LOS ANGELES - LeBron James picked things up exactly where they left him, spurring his offensive to 29 points after a five-game absence with a swelling in the Los Angeles Lakers' 122-115 overtime win over the New York Knicks on Saturday. continued to. his left knee.
"After the first quarter, the knees got too loose," James said after achieving his 103rd career triple-double with 13 rebounds and 10 assists. "My mind got too loose. And I was just able to play basketball. But excited to be back in uniform, on the floor with my friends. Missed them, missed the game. I was glad I was able to." Tha make some plays and help us win the ballgame."
Los Angeles went 1-4 without him and his return initially didn't do much to sway that trend as the Knicks led 42-29 after the first quarter.
But James, who said that he "didn't feel very well" during his pregame warmup as he attempted to play a game for the first time in a week and a half, it went on and so did his team with many coming back. With 21 points, the franchise's biggest comeback since December 2015.
"It's one hell of a comeback," said Anthony Davis, who hit 28 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks. "He's doing LeBron-type things. Nothing less was expected of him. Skilled off the field. S---, he did what he was supposed to do. He definitely helped us. So, I told him Missed. He is a big part of our team with his voice, his leadership, his ability to play. And he showed it by coming back."
James extended his streak of over 25 points to 19 games, the second longest streak of that nature in his 19-year career.
He played 39 minutes and 55 seconds on Saturday, which Lakers coach Frank Vogel admitted he wanted to play the 37-year-old in his first game.
"She's unbelievable," Vogel said. "I think the timing served him well. We didn't want him to play 39 minutes and obviously overtime made an impact on him, but just played a great basketball game. His defensive competitive spirit and IQ are all for us." And the way he scores basketball in every way and the way he sets up teammates is rare and that was special tonight. Just a great performance."
While James was out, one of his professional athlete teammates, Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, retired after 22 seasons in the NFL.
“I was personally so shocked when I saw it… as a person who has been my driving factor over the years, seeing what he is capable of at his age and has always been a part of a team. Being a leader and even at his age people are drawn to him and drawn to his energy and how he prepares and things of that nature," James said. "So, when Brady decided to retire, there was a little piece of me left, that's for sure."
James has one more season on his deal with the Lakers, which will take him to 20 seasons in the NBA.
There is no dispute over his importance to the Lakers even at this stage of his career. He was plus-12 in the minutes of his appearance on the court, and he played a minute and 29 seconds of the fourth quarter and overtime to close things out.
"I mean obviously the computer -- his ability to process and read aggressively, it's something that's always missed," Vogel said. "You miss him at both ends, but I would say in this situation, late game, that's where you miss him the most."