Imago
Credit: The Today Show
Imago
Credit: The Today Show
In his first game after sacrificing his decades-long scoring streak for a game-winning assist, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James reintroduced himself on Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Akron Hammer had a nearly perfect fourth-quarter performance to lead his team to a 112-108 win, after which he sent a heartfelt message to his wife, Savannah James.
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“I miss my BFF!!! @mrs_savannahrj” James wrote on his Instagram story.
Savannah, who’s a staple at her husband’s games inside the Crypto.com Arena, wasn’t present in the stands for his on-the-road game against the Sixers and might be regretting it in hindsight because of just how impressive LeBron James was on the night.
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The perennial All-Star had a season night in Philly, finishing the game with 29 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists while going 12-of-17 from the field, including four three pointers. James hit the 76ers with a barrage of left-wing jumpers, including a final one that ultimately led the Lakers to the win.
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Mar 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Not just that, after hitting that dagger of a shot, the veteran even hit his signature crown celebration in the face of Philadelphia fans. This performance was a huge one for LeBron James, as he’s had a shaky start to the 2025-26 campaign. It all started with him missing each of his team’s first 14 games due to a sciatica injury. Since then, the veteran has been trying to find his rhythm.
And by the looks of it, he did find it last night against Philadelphia. More so, because the past two games have been pretty bad, at least by his incredibly high standards. Also, the Lakers did need him to step up with Luka Doncic, only returning to the country after the birth of his newborn daughter, Olivia, something James knew all about.
LeBron James gets honest about his season-high night in Philadelphia
Even though Luka Doncic finished the game as the highest scorer for the Los Angeles Lakers on his return with 31 points, all eyes were on LeBron James, and rightly so. The 40-year-old reminded everyone, including himself, that he’s still more than capable of stepping up when it matters the most, as he reflected on his incredible performance after the game.
“You just play the game how it unfolds. I feel like (Austin Reaves) had some really good looks tonight, but he wasn’t in the rhythm that he’s been in all season. And I understood that traveling from a different country back here with a newborn could be very taxing on you, not only mentally, but] physically, and shout out to (Luka Doncic) and his family for the newborn. That’s amazing.” James said.
“So I felt like the opportunity kind of presented itself in a way that if I felt like my two heavy hitters kind of didn’t have it or needed a little kick … I tried to punch in from there,” he concluded.
Indeed, Austin Reaves had an off night as the sharpshooter finished the night with just 11 points in 39 minutes of action. So, it was clear that Doncic needed some help, especially assuming that he might be facing some fatigue after such a long travel back and forth to Slovenia.
And that’s exactly what LeBron James did. Nonetheless, apart from making the most of his time on the court, James did not forget to give a shoutout to his teammate Doncic for becoming a father for the second time, which was great to see. Now, both Luka Doncic and LeBron James will shift their focus toward the San Antonio Spurs, whom they’ll be taking on in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup next.
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Md Saba Ahmed