02/13/26 12:36:00
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02/13 00:34 CST LeBron James becomes the oldest player to have a triple-double
in NBA history
LeBron James becomes the oldest player to have a triple-double in NBA history
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --- LeBron James became the oldest player in NBA history to
have a triple-double, accomplishing the feat Thursday night at 41 years and 44
days old during the Los Angeles Lakers' 124-104 victory over the Dallas
Mavericks.
James had 28 points and 12 assists when he grabbed his 10th rebound with 2:06
to play. He got a standing ovation when he checked out moments after completing
his 123rd career triple-double, the fifth-most in NBA history.
James broke the record held for the past 22 years by Karl Malone, who recorded
his final triple-double for the Lakers when he was 40 years and 127 days old.
"I guess I'm more appreciative of moments like this in my career, understanding
where I'm at, at the later stage of my journey," James said. "You definitely
take it in a little bit more."
James' play has remained strong when healthy during his unprecedented 23rd NBA
season, but the top scorer in NBA history hadn't had a triple-double since Feb.
1, 2025, in New York. That day is better remembered in Lakers history for the
late-night breaking news of the seismic trade that brought Luka Doncic to the
Lakers.
Malone had held the record as the oldest player with a triple-double since he
had 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists on Nov. 28, 2003, during his final
NBA season. James recorded the next 15 triple-doubles on that list, and he
repeatedly came close to setting the record over the past year, but didn't
quite reach it until the Lakers' final game before the All-Star break.
"I think what it represents is pretty cool --- the fact that you can go out and
have an impact in three facets of the game," James said. "Rebounding. The
assists, obviously, are what I love the most. Being able to get my guys
involved, throughout my career I've always loved that more than anything. And
being able to put the ball in the basket, that's part of this game as well. So
I think what it means, to be able to have your hand in three facets of the
game, making an impact in those three, that's pretty cool."
With Doncic sidelined by a mild hamstring strain, James was aggressive and
active from the opening tip when he returned from his own injury absence during
the Lakers' loss to San Antonio on Tuesday.
After dancing gleefully in pregame warmups and screaming his way down the
tunnel when he took the court, James put up 14 points and six assists in the
first quarter alone against Dallas. He factored into the Lakers' first 23
points of the game.
James had 18 points, eight assists and four rebounds by halftime. He topped
double digits in assists during the third quarter, but he didn't come out of
the game during the fourth quarter before he grabbed the three rebounds
necessary to get the triple-double.
He almost had it a few possessions earlier, but Austin Reaves beat him to a
board --- and got an earful from the rest of the Lakers.
"Everybody on the team yelled at me," Reaves said. "I don't catch myself
looking at the stats during the game, so we went to the bench and everybody let
me know about it. He didn't, but everybody (else), and I looked at him and
said, ?Shoot, my fault.'"
James was selected for his 22nd All-Star appearance this weekend at Intuit Dome
even though he has missed 18 games this season due to injury. That means James
is ineligible for inclusion on his 22nd All-NBA team at the end of his
unprecedented 23rd season.
James entered this game averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds per
game for the Lakers, who are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff
race despite playing only 10 games with James, Doncic and Reaves simultaneously
healthy. James missed the first 14 games of the season while dealing with
sciatica.
James has 152 career triple-doubles when the playoffs are included.
___
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