LeBron James made 10 out of 10 three-point shots! The Lakers have surged to first place in three key statistical categories, unstoppable by any team.

Yesterday’s Lakers were quite awkward, making only 34 of 87 shots with a 39.1% shooting rate, the second-lowest this season. The lowest was on December 21 versus the Clippers, at 38.6%.

The team had only 8 turnovers, yet the overall play felt poor, especially in transitions. The last time the Lakers beat a top-4 team from either conference was on January 21 away against the Nuggets. Besides that, they have only beaten two other top-4 teams this season, the Spurs and Raptors.

LeBron became the first player in NBA history to reach 43,000 points yesterday. Over the years, there’s always been a feeling that when LeBron is about to hit a milestone, the team doesn’t often win that night.

LeBron is the only player in NBA history to have reached career milestones of 39,000, 40,000, 41,000, 42,000, and 43,000 points.

Former NBA player Jeff Teague commented on a show: “No one else can stay healthy enough to break this record. Think about it, he’s a superstar who has stayed healthy for over 20 years straight. I remember LeBron only missed many games once due to an ankle injury, which happened when he just joined the Lakers. Playing over 20 years continuously healthy is just insane.”

The Lakers lost to the Celtics by 22 points yesterday. So far this season, the Lakers have scored 6,479 points and conceded 6,499 points, with a net point differential of -20. Yet, their winning percentage remains above .500, with a record of 34 wins and 22 losses. What does this tell you? The Lakers tend to win by narrow margins but suffer big defeats when they lose.

The Lakers struggle against teams with a winning percentage over 60%, holding a 4-11 record. Three of those wins came in the first two weeks of the season (twice against the Timberwolves and once against the Spurs). In 10 of the 11 losses, the margin was double digits.

However, the Lakers excel in clutch situations. So far this season, in critical moments (last 5 minutes of the game with a score difference of 5 points or less), their stats are:

Offensive efficiency at 127.9, ranking first in the league
Defensive efficiency at 107.4, ranking ninth in the league
Net efficiency of +20.6, topping the league
Record of 16 wins and 3 losses, leading the league

Reaching clutch moments shows these games are very close, as there are very few matches where the Lakers win by large margins.

Today, the Lakers officially updated their social media with training videos and photos. LeBron shot from five different three-point spots, making all 10 attempts.

This season, LeBron’s outside shooting has been poor, averaging 4.6 three-point attempts per game but making only 1.4, with a 30.3% three-point shooting percentage — all career lows since joining the Lakers.

Looking back at the 2023-24 season, LeBron’s three-point shooting percentage was as high as 41%, making him the most reliable outside shooter on the Lakers at the time. It’s unclear why his shooting suddenly became off this year. Possibly related to his previous sciatic nerve pain, which might have slightly altered his shooting form.

It could also be due to his playing style. This season, LeBron spends more time off the ball, with very low usage rate. We rarely see him carry the ball from the backcourt to launch surprise three-point shots.

Regardless, we hope he can adjust his shooting form and mindset during this final month. The playoffs are just around the corner, and the Lakers have completed 56 regular season games, with only 26 remaining.

Tomorrow marks the last of the Lakers’ eight consecutive home games, tip-off at 11:30 against the Magic. ESPN predicts a 58.3% chance of a Lakers win. Hayes will miss due to an ankle sprain; Wagner is out for the Magic, and Saggs is questionable. Ending this eight-game home stretch with a victory shouldn’t be a problem, right?