With many in the sellout crowd in Atlanta cheering his every move, the 18-time All-Star shoots 18 for 27 from the field and finishes one assist short of a triple-double in a 130-121 win.
ATLANTA — LeBron James might be frustrated. He might be inching closer to the twilight of his career without a clear path to another title.That sentiment was never more clear on Friday night than the third quarter, when James dashed down the court for an outlet pass that was tipped. He missed the first shot, then tumbled over. But like a shot, James was on his feet, scraping the offensive rebound and putting it back against a leaping Onyeka Okongwu.
James is still at the top of his game, and on his 38th birthday, he showed it in no uncertain terms, putting together what is so far his best game of the season with 47 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in a 130-121 victory over the Hawks. He also had help, most notably in the closing moments. Russell Westbrook scored a left-handed layup with 1:03 remaining, then managed to prod out a steal against Dejounte Murray for a fast-break that he finished by dishing to Thomas Bryant just eight seconds later. Dennis Schröder also notched a last-minute jumper, then grabbed a steal on the next play, helping the worst-performing clutch team in the NBA get over the hump on the road.
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