LeBron James, 39, drops huge retirement hint after his 40-piece in Lakers win over Nets

LeBron James would only indicate how long he expects to play in the NBA after his 40-point game against the Brooklyn Nets, as he admitted he was on the “other side of the hill” and didn’t have much time left. the competition.

James speaks to reporters after tying the highest number of career three-pointers made (9) in the game since he was drafted 21 years ago on Sunday. James remains tight-lipped about when it is the right time to say goodbye to the association he has been part of since 2003.

“Not much longer, I’m not going to play another 21 years, that’s for damn sure,” he said after hitting all but one shot from behind the arc. “I don’t know when that door will close, but I don’t have much time left.”

James looked like an ageless wonder again as he played his 1,485th career game and tied his season high, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 116-104 victory over the Nets on Easter.

James left the sold-out crowd at Barclays Center on their feet as he put the finishing touches on his three-point shooting display in the fourth quarter. He reached 40 points for the third time this season, most recently on March 16 in a home loss to Golden State.

The Lakers superstar dropped 40 points, including 9 of 10 three-pointers, at Barclays Arena

The Lakers have won five of six since then, and this win moved them nine games above .500 on the season, with seven games remaining in the regular season. Los Angeles remained ninth in the Western Conference, but the Lakers could catch the Sacramento Kings for eighth place or the Phoenix Suns for seventh place in the West, knocking them out of the single-elimination No. 9 vs. No. 10 play-in competition were achieved.

If James has another game like this in the postseason, just about anything is possible for the NBA scoring leader, who continues to amaze at age 39.

The 20-time All Star finished 13 for 17 overall as the Lakers played the fourth game of a six-game road trip and bounced back from a loss Friday night at Indiana that snapped their five-game winning streak.

“I spent a lot of time on my craft,” James said.

The 39-year-old’s three-point tally in Sunday’s win in Brooklyn matched his career-high in 21 years

Anthony Davis added 24 points and 14 rebounds, and Rui Hachimura had 20 points and 10 rebounds in a game where the Lakers led by 20 in the first quarter and controlled the entire game. Brooklyn trailed within double figures just once in the second half.

Cam Thomas led the Nets with 30 points, trying to rally them after their dismal start.

“But I can’t do anything if someone goes 9 for 10 from 3,” Thomas said. “He made every three he put up, so it’s tough, but I feel like we played really well second through fourth. Just the first quarter was quite tough for us because we started so slowly.”

The Lakers got 114 of their 116 points from their starters.

James also made nine three-pointers against the Clippers on January 24, 2023, shooting nine for 14. His 90 percent accuracy was the second-best of his career in games in which he made at least five three-pointers, according to the Elias. Sports agency. He went 5-for-5 against Oklahoma City on December 23 of this season.

Next up for the Lakers: the Toronto Raptors on Easter Monday.