The Los Angeles Lakers may be enduring a season of struggle, but LeBron James is playing close to peak form with another glittering performance on Monday night.
The 38-year-old is closing in on Karem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record and netted a season-high 48 points for the 20-24 Lakers in a 140-132 home win against the NBA's worst team, the Houston Rockets (10-34). James has passed the 40-point mark three times already since his 38th birthday less than three weeks ago and his stellar showings on the court are a big reason why the sub-500 Lakers remain in touch with the post-season picture.
The Lakers' rank among the worst in the NBA on defence and with Antony Davis still absent after a month out with a foot injury, their reliance on four-time MVP James is apparent when he is not on the court.
