The Los Angeles Lakers went 3-0 for the first time in thirteen years, and it happened in dramatic fashion. The Lakers won a thriller against their division rivals, the Sacramento Kings, 131-127.

The Lakers, who have battled the Kings in recent years, had a few hiccups but ultimately pulled the game together to beat their California counterparts.

LA needed everything they could get from their superstar duo, and boy, did they get that and more. Lakers superstar LeBron James seemed a bit slow in the first two games of the season, but in the third game, especially in the fourth quarter, it was the exact opposite.

The Lakers entered the fourth quarter trailing by seven after leading by as many as fifteen points, and then LeBron happened. James went berserk in the fourth quarter and helped the Lakers roar back with 16 points in the final quarter.

James lit up the scoreboard to start the fourth quarter and was responsible for 18 points during the Lakers’ 21-0 run to start the fourth, scoring 11 straight points and then assisting on a Jaxson Hayes dunk before adding five more scored.

James could do no wrong. The team wanted more from James and was hesitant to pull James during his scoring spree. After the game, Lakers superstar Anthony Davis spoke about it in the locker room.

“Just when you think he’s slowing down, man, he keeps showing the world why he’s the best,” Davis said in the locker room. “To continue that trajectory, he actually looked at the bench and tried to come out of the game. We told him, ‘You’re not coming out.’ He comes out and hits another three. He continues to amaze us all because we just know what he’s capable of and what he can do.”

LA outscored Sacramento 44-33 in the fourth quarter thanks to James’ burst. He shot 6-of-6 from the field and had 16 points in the final frame.

Ultimately, James finished the game with 32 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, earning his first triple-double of the 2024/25 NBA season. It was fun for the crowd and necessary for the win; Still, James said he doesn’t need to play at that high level for all four quarters.

“Listen, I could do that at 22, but at almost 40, I don’t have to do it for four quarters,” James said. “I have the luxury of having an MVP-caliber player next to me (in Anthony Davis). AR (Austin Reaves) can get things going in bunches. D-Lo (D’Angelo Russell) can catch fire. Rui (Hachimura) has been consistent, and he can also get into groups and score.

“So this team is not built on me having 16-point quarters through all four quarters. It’s not built that way and it shouldn’t be. We’re a team and we all play together.”

James showed the NBA world why he remains one of the best players in the league today.

He will be forty in two months.

More Lakers: Even JJ Redick is surprised by Austin Reaves’ start to season