- LeBron James notched a triple-double against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, officially achieving a triple-double against all 30 NBA teams in his career.
- After the game, James said Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd immediately criticized James for his seven turnovers during the game, something James said he loves.
- James has taken on an increased playmaking role with the Lakers, averaging a league-leading 11.1 assists per game, a number that could climb if he cuts down on his turnovers.
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Not even LeBron James is safe from scrutiny after a historic triple-double.
LeBron James scored 25 points with 11 rebounds and 10 assists on Tuesday to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, 112-107. The stat line meant James had officially notched a triple-double against all 30 NBA teams.
However, James also committed seven turnovers, nearly half of the Lakers' total for the game. Despite getting a win and notching a career achievement, he said Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd chastised him for being sloppy with the ball.
James may have been paranoid about his turnovers, in general. According to Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times, James said when head coach Frank Vogel first congratulated him for the triple-double achievement, James thought it was a sarcastic jab about his turnovers.
Through 14 games, James has taken on an even bigger playmaking role with the Lakers. It's working so far, as James is averaging a league-leading 11.1 assists per game, a career-high, for the 12-2 Lakers. Naturally, more turnovers will come with the gig, especially as the Lakers continue to adjust to what is essentially a new team.
If James does manage to cut down some of his miscues, his assists and overall effectiveness may climb even higher.
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LeBron said he didn't know the Thunder were the only team he had left that he hadn't gotten a triple double against. When Vogel congratulated him postgame, he thought it was a sarcastic congrats about his seven turnovers.
- Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) November 20, 2019