At 41 years old, most professional athletes are coaching high school or sitting in a broadcast booth somewhere. LeBron James is still doing things that defy belief.
The King put up 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists to eliminate the Houston Rockets and send his Lakers to the second round. But it was what he said after the game that had everyone talking.
"Father time... already lost to me, it's over with," James declared with that familiar confidence that has defined his two-decade career.
And you know what? He's not wrong.
This was supposed to be the Rockets' year. Young, hungry, talented. They had the Lakers down 0-3 before Los Angeles clawed back to force Game 6. And when it mattered most, when Houston needed to close out the series, it was the 41-year-old who took over.
James was everywhere. He attacked the rim like he was 25. He hit clutch three-pointers. He orchestrated the offense with the precision of a conductor leading a symphony. Every time the Rockets made a run, there was LeBron, answering back.
I've covered this man's career for years, and I keep thinking we're going to see the decline. The moment where age finally catches up. But every time I think that, he goes out and does something like this.
The Rockets now face two straight first-round exits, both to teams that eliminated them during the James Harden era. That's got to sting. This was their chance to prove they'd moved past that chapter, and instead, they got sent home by a team led by a player who's been in this league since 2003.
For the Lakers, this is about momentum. They were on the brink of elimination, and now they're advancing with their superstar playing at an MVP level. That's dangerous for whoever they face next.
