Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Lakers star LeBron James makes history in win over Hawks

Originally posted on Game 7 | By Jennifer Withers Hoey | Last updated 1/9/22

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 134-118 on Friday night. It marked the first time the team won four straight games this year.

LeBron James finished with 32 points in total, ultimately scoring 23 in the second half when L.A. needed it most. In addition, he also broke a record that has stood for 47 years:

Since 1975, no other player older than 34 years old has ever had a 30/5/5/3/3 game.

LeBron had 32/8/9/4/3 tonight.

He’s 37. pic.twitter.com/UVZrRTL9Oj

— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 8, 2022

After the game, James was clearly thrilled with the progress his squad had been making recently.

“We’re getting our guys back,” he said.

“It’s literally that simple. We’re starting to see what we have because guys are in the lineup. Soon we’re getting (Kendrick) Nunn as well, and not too long after that, AD returns. When you’re building a team with depth and chemistry on the floor, and when too many guys are out, it’s too early to gauge it.”

This has been a tumultuous year for the Lakers, full of injuries and inconsistences. The one person who has consistently proved to be reliable for them has been their best player: James.

James’ 28.7 points per game are his highest since 2009. Although other teams have guys with splashier resumes, it’s hard to see how James isn’t one of the front-runners to be an MVP this year.

The Lakers are building momentum. If they can close the deal on the blockbuster trade they’ve been linked to in recent weeks, they might actually have a shot at shocking the world and winning a title in 2022.

This article first appeared on Game 7 and was syndicated with permission.

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