On Nov. 19, 2018 (AEDT), LeBron James recorded the most recent of his 12 career 50-point games in a comfortable win against his former team, the Miami Heat.
His season-high tally of 51 points helped James record his first win against the Heat in Miami since he parted ways with the franchise in the 2014 offseason. The performance, which was the first 50-point game by a Laker since Kobe Bryant's career-finale, took him to sixth all-time (at the time) for most career 50-point games.
Playing 38 minutes, his final stat line also included eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. He started the game on fire, scoring 19 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field and 3-for-4 from 3-point range in the first quarter, a period in which the Lakers outplayed the Heat to the tune of 34-21.
Los Angeles would never let go of the lead as James continued pouring it on, finishing 19-for-31 from the field and 6-for-8 from beyond the arc.
Nailing a 32-footer in the closing seconds, James put an exclamation mark on the game.
"It's just playing with greatness," former Lakers guard Lonzo Ball said. "Tonight he took the game over."
There's no doubt that winning in Miami for the first time in four years would have felt good but the Heat will always be special for James - it's the franchise that helped him win his first NBA championship back in 2012.
"It's always great to be here," said James postgame. "We had some not-so-good times, we had more great times, so it's always a respect factor and a love for the people in Miami and especially the people who work here."
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