LeBron James realizes he may be getting a little too old for NBA basketball, especially the 82-game regular-season slate. The Los Angeles Lakers star had one of the worst games of his 23-year career on Monday, finishing with 10 points (3-of-10 FG), zero rebounds, three assists and three turnovers in 31 minutes.
The performance came after James sat out Sunday’s game (left foot injury management) against the New Orleans Pelicans, amid the Lakers’ seven-game winning streak. After the loss, he was asked what led to his missing the previous game, which was not a back-to-back or an away contest.
“It’s called old,” James responded with a laugh.
“You just wake up with s–t that you didn’t have the night before,” he added.
Worst Game of Career?
In his prime, it’s hard to foresee James ever sitting out a home game that wasn’t a back-to-back affair, as he did against the Pelicans on Sunday. However, this is the new reality for James, who sat out the first 14 games of a season for the first time this year.
According to StatMuse, Monday’s loss to the Suns marked his second-lowest total points + rebounds + assists of his career [H/T X user Jake].
His worst overall output came in his sophmore season, when he finished with three points, three rebounds and five assists against the Rockets on Dec. 29, 2004.
Board-Less LeBron James
James finished with zero rebounds for only the sixth time in his career, following games on April 4, 2025 (vs. Pelicans), November 27, 2023 (vs. 76ers), November 2, 2010 (vs. Timberwolves), March 19, 2004 (vs. Jazz) and February 7, 2004 (vs. Wizards). James’ three assists were also the fewest in a regular-season game since Nov. 8, 2023.
The four-time MVP, however, did keep his insane double-digit streak alive on Monday when he made a step-back three with 6:51 left in the fourth quarter of the blowout loss to the Rockets. James checked out of the game less than a minute later, suggesting that JJ Redick kept him on the floor only to try to maintain the streak. Redick benched Luka Doncic for the entire fourth quarter after the Suns took a 19-point lead into the fourth.
James, who turns 41 this month, has yet to decide on returning for a 24th season, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“If James believes this could be his last season — something that sources close to James have insisted that he remains undecided about — he might feel even more responsibility to suit up for every game on what would then be a retirement tour,” McMenamin reported on Nov. 28.
James made history last year by becoming the oldest player to make an All-NBA Second Team, earning an All-NBA honor for a record 21st consecutive year. It would take a miracle for him to bow out with a 22nd straight All-NBA nod.
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