LeBron James, at 41 years old, delivered a historic performance to save the Lakers’ season, scoring the tying three-pointer with 13 seconds left in regulation to force overtime against the Houston Rockets and leading Los Angeles to a 112-108 victory that put them up 3-0 in the playoff series.
James played 45 minutes, finishing with 29 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals despite committing 8 turnovers. His effort marked multiple NBA milestones: he became the oldest player in postseason history to lead his team in scoring for a single game, and he recorded his fourth 20-point, 10-rebound game since turning 40, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most such performances by a player over 40 in playoff history.
The Lakers overcame a 6-point deficit with just 30 seconds remaining in regulation, becoming only the second team in the last 30 years to reverse such a late deficit in the playoffs. James said afterward, “Nothing is ever over until the final buzzer. That’s obvious. We executed our game plan perfectly — even took it into overtime.”
Houston had rallied from a 15-point deficit earlier in the game and led 101-95 with 41 seconds left after Jalen Smith scored 33 points with 16 rebounds. However, Marcus Smart hit three free throws and James forced a turnover before hitting the tying three-pointer to send the game to extra time.
In overtime, the Lakers opened with a 6-2 run and never looked back. James similarly made history by assisting his son Bronny James on a fast-break layup in the second quarter — the first father-son scoring play in NBA playoff history. Bronny played nine minutes and scored five points, including the assist-assisted basket, which accounted for more than the Rockets’ bench combined (3 points).
For more on this story, see LeBron James Leads Lakers to OT Win Over Rockets, Securing 3-0 Series Lead.
James reflected on the moment: “All I was thinking was, ‘Go get it!’ That was truly special for us — it means everything.” Bronny added, “He’s still great. This is exactly what we hoped to see — he carried the whole team on both ends, was reliable and composed. There’s no doubt he’s the core of this team.”
Without injured stars Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, James has averaged 25.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game in the series — a stat line no player over 33 has ever matched in postseason history.
Elsewhere in the playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs won 120-108 in Portland despite Victor Wembanyama missing the game with concussion protocols, while the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 108-100 on the road. In other news, Hawks guard Zaccharie Risacher was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player, becoming the second straight Hawk to win the award after Tyus Jones.
How did LeBron James force overtime against the Rockets?
James stole the ball from Houston’s offense, drove to the basket, kicked it out to an open teammate who swung it to him beyond the arc, and he sank the three-pointer with 13 seconds left to tie the game at 101-101.
What makes the father-son play between LeBron and Bronny James historically significant?
It is the first time in NBA playoff history that a father has assisted his son for a score, and the first time a father and son have played together in a postseason game.