LOS ANGELES: LeBron James became the oldest player in NBA history to have a triple-double, accomplishing the feat for the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night against the Dallas Mavericks.
James had 28 points and 12 assists when he grabbed his 10th rebound with 2:06 to play in the Lakers’ 124-104 victory. James got a standing ovation when he checked out moments after grabbing his final rebound to complete his 123rd career triple-double, fifth-most in NBA history.
At 41 years and 44 days old, James broke the record held by Karl Malone, who recorded a triple-double for the Lakers when he was 40 years and 127 days old.
But the top scorer in NBA history hadn’t had a triple-double since last Feb. 1, 2025, in New York. That day is better remembered in Lakers history for the late-night breaking news of the trade that brought Luka Doncic to the Lakers in a seismic trade for Anthony Davis.
Malone had held the record as the oldest player with a triple-double since he had 10 points, 11 rebounds and 1 assists on Nov. 28, 2003, during his final NBA season. James recorded the next 15 triple-doubles on that list, and he repeatedly came close to setting the record repeatedly over the past year, but didn’t quite reach it until the Lakers’ final game before the All-Star break.
After missing Tuesday’s game against San Antonio, James was aggressive and active from the opening tip against the Mavericks in the absence of Luka Doncic. The NBA scoring leader missed his fourth straight game for the Lakers with a mild hamstring strain.
James put up 14 points and six assists in the first quarter alone, and he had 18 points, eight assists and four rebounds by halftime. He topped double digits in assists during the third quarter, and he played the entire fourth quarter before grabbing the 10th rebound.
James was selected for his 22nd All-Star appearance this weekend at Intuit Dome even though he has missed 18 games this season due to injury. That means James is ineligible for inclusion on his 22nd All-NBA team.
James entered this game averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game for the Lakers, who are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race despite playing only 10 games with James, Doncic and Austin Reaves simultaneously healthy. James missed the first 14 games of the season while dealing with sciatica.
James has 152 career triple-doubles when the playoffs are included.
LeBron James becomes the oldest player to have a triple-double in NBA history
https://arab.news/b7gk4
LeBron James becomes the oldest player to have a triple-double in NBA history
- James had 28 points and 12 assists when he grabbed his 10th rebound with 2:06 to play in the Lakers’ 124-104 victory
- LeBron James became the oldest player in NBA history to have a triple-double, accomplishing the feat for the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night against the Dallas Mavericks
Ortiz shoots 60 to lead Burmester by 2 at LIV Golf Hong Kong
- Torque GC lead the team competition after the first round
HONG KONG: Carlos Ortiz’s approach shot from 152 meters on his final hole Thursday at HSBC LIV Golf Hong Kong was headed directly toward the flag. Despite the long odds of holing out, for a brief moment, shooting 59 was a possibility.
The ball finished inside 60 centimeters, leaving Ortiz with a tap-in birdie for a 10-under 60 and a two-shot lead over Dean Burmester after the opening round at the Hong Kong Golf Club.
Not only was it Ortiz’s lowest round in his professional tournament career, it was the third time in LIV Golf history that a player has shot 60.
Just three rounds have been lower: Bryson DeChambeau’s historic 58, and the two 59s by Ortiz’s Torque GC teammates Joaquin Niemann and Sebastian Munoz.
“It was a great round … I think I hit it very close, like four or five times I just tapped it in. That doesn’t happen much, so it’s awesome when you don’t even have to get the putter out. Very pleased,” said Ortiz.
It was certainly the best round of a multitude of low scores at Fanling. Burmester’s 62 matches his score the previous round he played here, when the Southern Guards’ star finished second last season to the Fireballs GC’s captain Sergio Garcia.
Garcia, meanwhile, shot 63 while extending his streak of bogey-free holes at Hong Kong Golf Club to 63. He is tied for third with Smash GC captain Talor Gooch along with Scott Vincent, who shot the lowest round ever for a wild card player.
In all, 28 players shot 67 or better on a course that was soft due to rain leading up to the opening round. Included in that group was Anthony Kim, who shot 67 in his first start since winning LIV Golf Adelaide last month.
“As you can see by the scoring, it’s playing softer and a lot easier than it generally is,” Burmester said.
“But I know Saturday and Sunday the wind is going to come up, so I think that’ll toughen the course up. It’ll dry out and then we’ll get the true experience of Fanling.”
Ortiz was just two-under through his first nine holes and coming off a bogey at the par-four eighth. But he saved par at the ninth, then followed with three straight birdies on holes 10 to 12, including a chip-in at 11. He then eagled the par-five 13th after hitting his second shot to 155 centimeters.
“Obviously I played great coming in,” said Ortiz, seeking his second individual LIV Golf victory. Fueled by his 60, Torque also has the team lead at 21-under, two shots ahead of Smash GC.
Burmester called his round “pretty flawless” other than an error on the ninth when he chose the wrong club off the tee. Having come close last year, he can now chase his third LIV Golf title over the final 54 holes.
“I’m very proud of the way I kind of just hung together and kept pushing in birdies,” Burmester said.
“I saw a lot of guys making birdies, and I managed to do the same. Normally when that happens you feel like you’ve got to chase, and I never felt like I was doing that. I just felt like I was within myself, so it’s one of those good in-the-zone days for sure.”
Garcia always seems to be in the zone at Fanling. He has not suffered a bogey at Fanling since his ninth hole in the opening round last year, and on Thursday, he hit all 18 greens in regulation.
“I’ve always said it, that I’ve always enjoyed the courses that make you think, not the courses that you get on the tee and you know you have to hit driver as hard as you can and there’s nothing else to do,” said Garcia.
He is now seeking the 39th victory of his legendary career. “Obviously these are the kind of courses that I enjoy playing. These are the kind of courses that I feel most comfortable on.”
