Today, the Lakers hosted the Pelicans at home, and many viewers didn't expect much from the Lakers before the game, and there are three reasons for this perception. First of all, in the case of continuous battles, the Lakers played a tight game against the Nuggets yesterday and ended up losing by 8 points. The Lakers put in a lot of effort yesterday and consumed a lot of energy, which could lead to a lack of fitness today. Second, the Lakers will be missing assists from Vanderbilt, Reddish and Vincent in this game, while the Pelicans have only Marshall who has not played, so the Lakers have lost a significant amount of power. Third, the Pelicans have recently won four games in a row, beating the Clippers, Raptors, Rockets, and Spurs, and are in pretty good form. This series of successful performances has made the Pelicans significantly improve their state and confidence, and it has become a big challenge for the Lakers.
The Lakers seemed difficult to win today on the surface. However, they created an NBA miracle. All five starters on the team performed well, each contributing 20+ points. It's the first time the Lakers have achieved such a feat since 1984. In the end, they defeated the Pelicans with a score of 139-122. In this game, Russell once again had a team-high scoring record, shooting 9-of-19 from the field, including 6-of-13 from three-point range, for a total of 30 points, along with two rebounds and five assists. Reaves also had a strong performance, scoring 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including 3-of-4 three-pointers, along with two rebounds and four assists. Hachimura also played well, scoring 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-5 three-pointers, and grabbed five rebounds. Thick eyebrows did well in the face of foul danger, and although they committed three fouls in the first quarter, they played quite well later. He played 29 minutes, shooting 7-of-11 from the field and amassing in 20 points, along with six rebounds and six assists. In this game, James not only frequently assisted his teammates to score through accurate passes, but also showed strong offense, causing the Pelicans to foul on multiple impacts. He finished with 21 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-2 three-pointers and 7-of-8 free throws, along with four rebounds and 14 assists. After this game, James tied an NBA record and tied with the all-time No. 1 finish.
At the age of 35, Nash has achieved a total of 44 regular season appearances of 20 points and 10 assists, which is a remarkable achievement. His record has always been the first in history. However, James' performance today allowed him to tie that record. James slashed 21 points and 14 assists in today's game, thus reaching the feat of 44 20-point-10 assists after the age of 35, tied with Nash for the all-time first. Nash last achieved the feat in March 2012, a record he held for nearly 12 years and is now equaled by James. Considering James' current ability, it is expected that he will soon be able to cut another 20 points and 10 assists, further breaking Nash's record.
It is worth mentioning that Nash and James have achieved this feat a total of 44 times since the age of 35, which is amazing. The closest player to match them is Paul, but he only has 20 times. It was followed by Wilkens with 17 and Stockton with 16. And Kidd only had eight. This suggests that once you're over 35, it's not easy to reach 20 points and 10 assists, and even historic point guards are rarely able to do that. So the achievements of Nash and James are even more admirable.