The last time LeBron James didn’t score double digits in an NBA game, George W. Bush was POTUS, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry hadn’t entered the NBA and South Sudan wasn’t a sovereign nation.
That 17-year streak — which began on Jan. 6, 2007, against the Nets — was in danger of ending Monday night when James’ Lakers traveled to play the Suns. James had only four points with 2:45 left in the third quarter and added three more before being benched with 7:16 left in the fourth.
When James checked back in with 5:09 left in the fourth, he was 2-of-12 from the field with seven points. He was in a race against time. With 4:47 left, he would brick another three, his 13th miss of the night. Finally, with 1:58 left, he would connect from deep to reach the double-digit threshold. He’d make another free throw to end with 11 points.
While James did keep “the streak” alive, his 3-of-14 from the field marked his worst shooting game since the Jan. 5, 2007 game against the Bucks, which was incidentally the last time he didn’t score in double digits. On that night, James went 3-of-13 from the floor for eight points.
