NBA
LeBron James’ record-breaking NBA regular season with the Lakers in 2023/24
The Los Angeles Lakers must get past the Pelicans, or either the Kings or the Warriors, to make the playoffs, despite James’ superb form.
The NBA regular season is over, with 12 teams having booked their spots in the upcoming playoffs, while another eight are hoping to navigate their way through the play-in tournament to play in the postseason. That includes the LA Lakers, who will look to LeBron James for inspiration once more after the 39-year-old completed a record-breaking regular season.
Who will the Lakers place against in the NBA play-in tournament?
The Lakers finished eighth in the Western Conference with a 47-35 record, missing out on direct qualification for the playoffs but securing a spot in the play-in tournament, which starts on Tuesday 16 April.
They will face the New Orleans Pelicans, who finished seventh, with the game tipping off at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT.
If they win, they will be the Western Conference No. 7 seed for the playoffs. Should they lose, they will then play either the Sacramento Kings or the Golden State Warriors in an attempt to qualify as No. 8 seed.
James’ record-breaking stats in the 2023/24 NBA regular season
James’ incredible form continues to belie his advancing years. In his 21st season in the NBA, he became the only player in the history of the league to average more than 25 points per game, more than eight assists per game, a field goal percentage over 50% and a three-point field goal percentage over 40% in a single season.
LeBron James' number for the Lakers in the 2023/24 regular season
- 25.7 points per game
- 8.3 assists per game
- 7.3 rebound per game
- 1.3 steals per game
- 54% field goals
- 41% 3-point field goals
- 75% free throws
- 63% true shooting percentage
On top of that, James is the only player in NBA history to have amassed 40,000+ points, 11,000+ rebounds and 11,000+ assists. No other player has broken the 27,000-7,000-7,000 across the three categories.
Has LeBron James ever missed the NBA playoffs?
Nevertheless, the four-time NBA champion is in some danger of missing the playoffs, which hasn’t happened too often during his career.
In his previous 20 seasons, LeBron has been forced to sit out the postseason action on four occasions, twice with the Cleveland Cavaliers and twice with the Lakers.
The 17-time NBA winners were victorious in James’ second season with them in 2019/2020, a year after they had missed out on the playoffs. They then repeated that feat in 2021/22, a season in which LeBron was absent for long spells due to injury.