Cavs superstar LeBron James put on quite a show inside Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday night in a 123-114 win over the Atlanta Hawks. In his 35 minutes of playing time, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 Draft recorded 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field, a career-high tying 17 assists (which led to 43 points), seven rebounds, and two steals. When the final horn blew, James’ plus/minus score had risen to +17.
In the win over Atlanta, James became the first player in NBA history to make at least 10 shots, shoot better than 80 percent from the field, and record at least 15 assists in a game since John Stockton did it for the Utah Jazz against the Houston Rockets in March of 1996.
James, now in his 15th season of NBA service, is known as the greatest player in today’s game. In fact, some argue he’s the greatest ever. However, as most hoops fans know, his road to success has been paved with hours of hard work and dedication. Basically, the man is a workout warrior — one that keeps his body in peak physical condition all year long.
After Tuesday night’s game, James spoke to reporters with regards to his efficiency as a passer, as well as his work ethic.
“That’s just who I am,” James told Rick Noland of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram and Medina Gazette, “I’m an efficient player. I’ve never been a volume shooter. That’s not my game. You’ve got to put in the work, and I’ve put in the work.”
Though he says he’s not a volume shooter, James has certainly shot the ball well through the early stages of this season. In his 28 games played, the Akron Hammer has turned in averages of 28.2 points on a career-high 58.3 percent shooting from the field (career-high 42.2 percent from downtown), 9.0 assists (career-high), and 8.2 rebounds.
James and the Cavs, winners in 15 of their last 16 games, will look to keep their momentum rolling on Thursday night when they welcome Lonzo Ball and the Los Angeles Lakers to town. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EST with Fox Sports Ohio and NBA on TNT having live broadcast coverage. Until then, have a go at LeBron’s highlights from Tuesday night.