LeBron James Stats Tonight: How did Lakers superstar fare against the Hornets? (Feb. 19)
LeBron James made headlines last Sunday when he decided to not play in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game a few hours before tip-off. James cited a sore ankle and wanted to rest it before the season resumed on Wednesday. The LA Lakers were back in action early for their rescheduled game against the Charlotte Hornets.
The two teams were originally set to play last Jan. 9 at Crypto.com Arena, but the league decided to postpone it due to the Los Angeles wildfires. The Lakers were given a tight schedule, playing today versus Charlotte and tomorrow in Portland.
But how did "The King" fare tonight in his first game back since the All-Star break? James finished with 26 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists, going 10-for-22 from the field, including 4-for-11 from beyond the arc. He had two opportunities to tie the game, but the Lakers succumbed to the Hornets 100-97.
Here are LeBron James' stats in the game:
How did LeBron James perform against the Charlotte Hornets?
LeBron James came out of the gate hot, scoring eight of the first 10 points for the LA Lakers. James failed to score after that burst, but the home team was cooking and ready to blow the game wide open as the Charlotte Hornets seemingly couldn't buy a basket from threes.
"The King" added just two points to his tally in the second quarter and went scoreless in the third quarter. It was an abysmal start to the second half by the Lakers, with things going downhill after Austin Reaves was ejected from the game following an animated argument with a referee.
With Reaves out, the Hornets went on a massive run to erase a double-digit lead and built their own in the third. James came alive in the fourth quarter, scoring 16 of his 26 total points. He was vital as the Lakers regained the lead, but the visitors were not going away that easily.
After Luka Doncic gave the Lakers a 94-93 lead, LaMelo Ball exploited the defense and found a wide open Nick Smith Jr. for the 3-point basket. Rui Hachimura had a chance to tie the game, but missed both free throws. Ball made an easy layup in the next possession to give the Hornets a 98-94 advantage.
LeBron James quickly hit a 3-point shot to make it a one possession game, with LaMelo Ball making two clutch free throws. James had a wide open shot with five seconds remaining, but it was short. Gabe Vincent recovered the ball and passed it to "The King."
However, the NBA's all-time leading scorer missed the game-tying shot at the buzzer. Luka Doncic struggled in his third game for the Lakers, putting up 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists on 5-for-18 shooting. Austin Reaves only had eight points before his ejection.