LeBron James have done something no player in NBA history has done before. On Tuesday night, James recorded 25 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists in a 112-107 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, becoming the first player in league history to record a triple-double against all 30 teams according to the Elias Sports Bureau. After the game, James was notified of the record and he was surprised by it.
“I had no idea,” James said after the win, which moved the Lakers to a league-best 12-2. “Coach [Frank] Vogel came in here and said congratulations. I was like, I thought he was joking about my seven turnovers because I’ve been taking care of the ball so much. He said first player in NBA history to have a triple-double versus 30 teams, every team, so I was like, ‘OK. That’s pretty cool.’”
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Vogel mentioned that what James did is a record that probably will never be set again. “It’s unbelievable. “He’ll say it’s because he’s been in the league for so long, but we all know that it’s because he’s remarkable. For him to be doing it for as long as he’s been doing it, that’s how you knock out all 30 teams with a stat like that. I don’t know if that will ever get accomplished again,” he said.
James is in his second season with the Lakers and he’s off to a strong start, averaging 25 points, 7.6 rebounds and a league-leading 11.2 assists per game. After Tuesday’s win, the Lakers now have a 12-2 record and they are in first place in the Western Conference.
James has recorded 86 career triple-doubles in his career. When talking about that feat, he owes it all to his teammates.
“I really don’t know what to think about it, to be honest,” James said. “I’ve had some great teammates and coaches that have put me in position to be able to facilitate. My teammates have made shots for me throughout my career. Coaches have put me in position to be successful scoring the ball, and I’ve tried to read and react the ball off the rim as far as getting the rebounds, and hopefully, throughout all those triple-doubles, I hope I got a winning record in those games because that is what’s most important.”
