With the next few Lakers games suspended due to the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, Paul George revisited LeBron James’s poster dunk on Dallas Mavericks’ Dereck Lively from last week’s game. The Lakers were surprised by the resilience of the Luka Doncic-less Mavs side as they conceded the road game 97-118. But LeBron James ended up grabbing all the headlines from the game on Wednesday with his monster slam at the American Airlines Center.
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Two minutes into the latest episode of Podcast P with Paul George, co-host Jackie Long asked PG if he thinks that the dunk from LeBron was the greatest play by a 40-year-old ever. “Man, I don’t even know what to compare that to right now…It was very impressive. I did not see that coming, I’m not gonna lie,” the Philadelphia 76ers star said.
About four minutes into the game, LeBron received a pass from Austin Reaves at the top of the key, which he threw to an open Rui Hachimura in the corner. Hachimura missed his uncontested corner three and the ball was collected in the paint by Max Christie. Without thinking twice, Christie hurled the ball to James, who was still at the top of the key.
The King sensed a vacuum in the interior and immediately charged to the basket with the ball and absolutely posterized an unprepared Dereck Lively. The 20-year-old tried to block LBJ’s attempt at the rim, but the four-time NBA Champion had effortlessly switched the ball to his left hand by then. What followed next was a truly incredible sight, a 40-year-old veteran completely embarrassed a player half his age 10 feet in the air.
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PG admitted that LeBron is still as gifted physically as he always has been, even if he has lost a step. The Sixers Wing also pointed out that LeBron is left-handed despite shooting with his right-hand all the time. That’s why the switch was so easy to pull off for him.
George then returned to the original question and compared the dunk with other NBA feats by 40-year-old players. “I know MJ going for 50 at 40 is pretty impressive, but for one play that’s gotta be up there for sure. It happened so fast too,” the 34-year-old concluded.
PG admitted that we will probably never see a 40-year-old as gifted as LeBron ever.
There’s no doubt that Michael Jordan did some amazing things as a Washington Wizard when he was nearing his 40s. MJ had 25 30+ point games and eight 40+ point games in Wizards uniform, with his highest being a 51-point showdown on the 29th of December, 2001.
However, it’s just unfair to compare a 40-year-old LBJ and a 40-year-old MJ. The Lakers superstar is miles ahead with how he has preserved his body to endure the toils of the NBA. And his dunk on Lively proves that the King is still as lively as a spring chicken.
