LeBron James continues to set standards in the NBA as the world saw an example of it in the in-season tournament semi-final. With an aggressive approach, the 4x champion registered the quickest 30-point game in Los Angeles Lakers history. His milestone at the age of 38 had a former Laker, Nick Young, publicly beg for at least one record.
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The California-born used to be the previous holder of the feat for the franchise as it remained intact for nearly a decade. Nick achieved it back on 8th April 2014 during a home clash against the Houston Rockets. Coming off the bench, he recorded 32-1-3 while reaching the 30-point mark in 22 minutes 56 seconds. His impressive actions on the court resulted in a win for the organization as the home crowd rejoiced the moment.
Thus, when LeBron shattered the record on 7th December 2023 while reaching the mark in 24 fewer seconds, Young lost the top position on the list. Following this, the former shooting guard took to X (formerly Twitter) to jokingly express his thoughts on the moment. Paying respect to James’ career, he mentioned,
“Damn Bron you won everything already let me have this lol”.
Damn Bron you won everything already let me have this lol pic.twitter.com/MeYZ2rHjOV
— Nick Young (@NickSwagyPYoung) December 12, 2023
Despite this heartbreak, Nick’s performance had great significance as he reached the feat while being a substitute player. Going 6-10 from behind the three-point arc, the 2018 champion registered 11-19 from the field. His brilliant shooting display helped turn around the momentum of the match as the hosts won comfortably in the end.
What’s next for LeBron James?
Young’s luck ran out purely because one of the greatest players of all time represented the same franchise. It further proved the prowess of LeBron as Stephen A. Smith paid his tribute to the 19x All-Star. “He is still the best damn player on the court most of the time,” the sports analyst on his podcast, THE STEPHEN A. SMITH SHOW.
Not only Stephen A. but Nick himself had showered praise for James on multiple occasions in the past. In the past, he infamously stated, “I feel like he [LeBron] could have at least 12 [MVPs]”. This statement showcased the amount of respect he had for the 4x MVP.
Thus, when LeBron shattered his record, Young definitely was at peace with it. It probably in fact made the moment more memorable for the former NBA player.
