In a commanding Friday night performance, the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up their Western Conference first-round series with a solid 98-78 win over the Houston Rockets, closing it out in six games.
LeBron James, Lakers showcase their clutch-time prowess vs. Rockets – Los Angeles Times
The matchup proved challenging for both squads due to key absences. The Lakers played without star Luka Doncic for the full series, while Austin Reaves missed the opening four contests. On the Rockets’ side, Kevin Durant was limited to just one appearance.
That left 41-year-old LeBron James to shoulder much of the load, and the 23-year veteran delivered in signature fashion. Across the six games, James posted impressive averages of 23.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.2 assists while logging 38.7 minutes per night.
What he’s achieving in the postseason remains remarkable for any player, let alone one in his 40s. It’s clear the four-time champion and four-time MVP is thoroughly dominating Father Time once again.
LeBron Keeps Defying the Years
Most athletes start to slow down after turning 30, but “King James” shows no signs of letting up. The Akron native made that point loud and clear when asked about his battle with age.
“Oh, I’m kicking his butt,” James said confidently. “He can move on to somebody else at this point — he already lost to me. It’s over with.”
It’s tough to debate him, considering his body of work at 40-plus. This season, the veteran appeared in 60 games and delivered All-Star caliber stats: 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 33.2 minutes a night.
James has continued setting records in his 40s, much like he did as a teenage rookie. He’s now played the most seasons in NBA history with 23, became the first player ever to reach 50,000 career points, and holds marks as the oldest to record a triple-double, post multiple 40-point games in a season, and average over 20 points in a regular season.
At this pace, more milestones appear likely, as there’s no clear end in sight for his high-level play.
LeBron James keeps making NBA history with his latest ageless performance
The 40-Plus Club
Few players have sustained elite production deep into their 40s while contributing meaningfully on contending teams. Veterans like Vince Carter, Udonis Haslem, and Dikembe Mutombo logged time in their 40s, but mostly in limited bench roles. Others such as Karl Malone, John Stockton, Reggie Miller, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, and Michael Jordan remained productive but weren’t carrying teams as primary options like James continues to do.
For context, Malone averaged 13.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in his final season, while Stockton put up 12.2 points, 7.7 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.7 steals.
LeBron’s sustained excellence as a go-to player this late in his career adds a compelling layer to basketball discussions.
This story draws from recent NBA playoff coverage on May 2, 2026.