Believe it or not, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a good stretch of games lately.
The troubled team has won five of their last six, including two back-to-back matches against the San Antonio Spurs over the weekend.
LeBron James returned to the team for those games, after sitting out with an injury.
He has had an up-and-down season so far but he was in fine form on Saturday against the Spurs.
17 years later. Incredible 👑 @KingJames
(h/t @bronhistory) pic.twitter.com/8RaN1ryLNb
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 27, 2022
James put up 39 points and 11 rebounds, including 7 three-pointers.
That’s a great stat line but it’s even more impressive when you compare it to his game exactly 17 years before.
Back on November 26, 2005, a 20-year-old James scored 38 points with 6 three-pointers.
Despite so many years and so many changes to the league – and his body – James still had a mindset and presence that is helping him put up monster numbers.
What’s the rest of the season going to look like for him?
LeBron Back With LA
While the Lakers have had some good games recently, they are still just 7-11 and towards the bottom of the standings in the West.
Fans are hopeful that the last six games were a turning point for the team – but they have been hopeful before.
Still, if James can continue to produce as he did on Saturday and Anthony Davis stays healthy and superior on the court, the Lakers might have a shot.
Will they be surging to the Finals?
That’s unlikely, but the chance of them making the playoffs isn’t completely gone if they can remain consistent.
The good news is that the team was able to get a few wins under their belt without James.
The better news is that he is looking very good upon his return.
NEXT: Dennis Schroder Finally Helped The Lakers