Mike Stobe/Getty ImagesThe Los Angeles Lakers' 116-104 win over the Brooklyn Nets was a reminder that LeBron James has never rested on his laurels when it came to his scoring ability.
James put up a game-high 40 points and went 9-of-10 on three-pointers Sunday night. ESPN's Dave McMenamin noted LeBron is now one of two players alongside Michael Jordan to have multiple 40-point outings after turning 39.
The nine threes also tied his career high and prompted the four-time MVP to speak more broadly on his ability to adapt.
"I don't ever have to lean on [three-pointers] because I can do so much — I can score on any level on the floor basically once I cross half court," he said. "But being able to have a growth mindset and be able to work on things that the league is changing to, the league is a heavy three-point shooting league.
"I'm not one of those guys that wants to go out there and shoot 12, 14 or 15 threes per game. But I want to be respected, and teams have to play me from the outside. That's still kind of one thing teams [think] ... 'If we have to give up something, we'd much rather him shoot the ball from the outside.'"
James' 41.6 percent clip from beyond the arc is on pace to be a personal best. In general, he has made the three-pointer a larger part of his game since signing with the Lakers. His 6.4 attempts and 32.3 percent attempt rate are his most with any one team, per Basketball Reference.
Also after Sunday's game, the 39-year-old there's "not very long" left in his NBA career, which isn't all that revelatory given how he has flirted with retirement more openly in recent seasons. Leaning even more heavily into a perimeter game would undoubtedly help extend his time in the Association depending on how much longer he wants to go.
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