LeBron James

Jabari Smith and the Houston Rockets took on the Los Angeles Lakers, which led to a special moment for him and LeBron James. James has been in the league ...

Let's take a look at the moment shared between Smith and James, as well as the interaction between James and Smith's father. This had to be a cool moment for Smith, as James is widely considered the best basketball player of all time. Jabari Smith and the Houston Rockets took on the Los Angeles Lakers, which led to a special moment for him and LeBron James.

Lakers star LeBron James introduced himself to the NBA October 29, 2003 when the Cavaliers faced the Kings in Sacramento, when Jabari Smith Snr was part of ...

It's been a great ride in these 20 years. 'I've had the pleasure of playing against a few father and son combinations. The Rockets teenager reminded James he played against his dad during his NBA debut in 2003

LeBron James scored a season-high 48 points as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 140-132 on Monday.

“At the end of the day, follow your heart and your gut is gonna tell you what to do. “I think it’s historic, man, on a lot of different levels,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham told reporters after the game. Whenever he’s out there, he’s just been competing. Just how efficient he’s been. “For him to be at this point in his career and still able to produce at the level in which he’s producing. “Once I step on the floor for warmups and the crowd fills in, it’s my job to go out and play the best way I can.

LeBron James is doing everything in his power to keep the Los Angeles Lakers' head above water in the Western Conference playoff race. The four-time NBA MVP ...

Russell Westbrook was the only other player on the team to break 20 points. @KevinOConnorNBA the most accurate statement ever made might be "don't take LeBron James for granted". He was the only Lakers starter to score more than 11 points. Lebron casually dropping 35-8-10 and 48-8-9 on back to back nights in season 20 at 38 years old and everyone just thinks this is normal. Stop comparing him to MJ and just actually enjoy watching him while his at this level. He is averaging 34.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.0 assists in 13 games since Dec.

"Why'd you do that to me?" the Los Angeles Lakers star asked Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. during a lighthearted exchange.

LeBron James has almost completed 20 years in the NBA, and while his brilliance remains intact, Jabari Smith served up an age reminder.

James logged 48 points (16-26 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 11-12 FT), eight rebounds and nine assists over 36 minutes during Monday's 140-132 win over the Rockets.

Given his continued defiance of Father Time, it's a foregone conclusion that, barring injury, James will surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time [NBA](/nba/) scoring mark before season's end -- and possibly before the All-Star break. James was particularly effective when it mattered most, scoring 20 of his season-high 48 points in the fourth period, including six points in the final minute of a close ballgame. James was not only productive in the victory, he was also efficient from all areas of the floor, going 11-for-16 from two-point range, 5-for-10 from beyond the arc and 11-for-12 from the charity stripe.

It's no secret that LeBron James is integral to the Los Angeles Lakers, but this was really proven on Monday night against Houston Rockets.

There was just 3:51 left of the third quarter when James checked out, and that seemed like a safe decision as the Lakers led by 14 points. The Lakers took on one of the worst NBA sides this season, and came out with a 140-132 victory. It's no secret that LeBron James is integral to the Los Angeles Lakers, but this was really proven on Monday night against Houston Rockets.

He led the Heat to two championships in four NBA Finals appearances from 2010-14 while averaging 26.9, 7.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists while shooting 54 percent.

[CLICK HERE](https://www.si.com/nba/heat/miami-news/three-espn-analysts-count-out-miami-heat-on-making-repeat-appearance-in-eastern-conference-finals) [CLICK HERE](https://www.si.com/nba/heat/miami-news/how-miami-heat-twitter-reacted-to-mondays-loss-against-atlanta-hawks) [CLICK HERE](https://www.si.com/nba/heat/miami-news/miami-heat-unable-to-overcome-fast-start-by-atlanta-hawks) He scored 48 points Monday against the Houston Rockets, giving more reason he's only getting better with age. He also won two MVPs. 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

LeBron James is in his 20th NBA season, and Monday's game against the Rockets was another reminder that he's playing against sons of players he faced ...

I always knew that at any part of my game, as far as athleticism, would start to go down, that I could still out-think a lot of my competition. “I think it’s historic, man, on a lot of different levels,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. The Lakers were again plus-19 points better with James on the court against the Rockets, a microphone attached to his jersey catching Jabari Smith Jr. “I knew at a very young age that I had the ability to read the game before the game was even being played or possessions. James hasn’t just survived 20 seasons of the NBA — he’s thrived. “And I could have very easily took tonight off, but I don’t feel like the momentum of our ballclub could use me taking a night off like tonight. was out on the floor as well, I played against his dad. Gary Trent Sr., I played obviously with his son, now in Toronto. I don’t feel like I wanted to sit on that loss with Philly last night. He sniped from three-point range and swished jumpers from the mid-range. [140-132 victory](https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/story/2023-01-16/lakers-rockets-lebron-james-48-points-nba-recap) over the Houston Rockets against 19-year-old Jabari Smith Jr. He scored above the rim and below it.

"Why'd you do that to me?" the Los Angeles Lakers star asked Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. during a lighthearted exchange.

LeBron James is in his 20th NBA season, and Monday's game against the Rockets was another reminder that he's playing against sons of players he faced ...

As the Lakers played the Rockets, rookie Jabari Smith Jr. was seen walking up to James to let him know that he played against his father back when James was a ...

James would go on to score 25 points in the loss while Jabari Smith Sr., who was 26 at the time, didn’t log any minutes of action. was seen walking up to James to let him know that he played against his father back when James was a rookie in 2003. James’s first-ever NBA game was in fact against the Kings on Oct. That’s just a great stat.” I didn’t really know. When you play that long, there are going to be moments that might make you feel a little on the older side, and cameras and mics caught that perfect exchange Monday night.

The 18-time All-Star earned a rave review from his head coach.

"He's just in a great rhythm," Ham raved. He's just there to fulfill whatever hole it is that we may be experiencing in the moment." He's willing to do whatever it takes... We all want to win. He wants to win. "For him to be at this point of his career and still able to produce at the level in which he's producing, I just think all of us just really being able to witness it, be a part of it, it shows his competitive spirit, his no-quit mentality.

Houston Rockets rookie Jabari Smith had some fun with Lakers star LeBron James during Monday's game in Los Angeles.

But even James isn’t immune to Father Time, as [Houston Rockets](https://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/) rookie Jabari Smith Jr. [LeBron James](https://www.chron.com/sports/article/LeBron-hits-38K-but-Embiid-leads-76ers-past-17720298.php) has been a fixture in the NBA across the last two decades, and the four-time champion remains an All-NBA talent in his 20th professional season. Smith stopped James shortly before tipoff, noting that his father, Jabari Smith, played against him as a member of the Kings during James' NBA debut in October 2003.

Jabari Smith Sr. faced James in his NBA debut on Oct. 30, 2003 as a member of the Kings.

didn't appear on the stat sheet, while James scored 25 points. [Houston Rockets](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/HOU/houston-rockets/) and [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/), Rockets forward [Jabari Smith](/nba/players/26776259/jabari-smith/) Jr. Now he's beginning to face the sons of some of the players that he competed against early in his career. On that particular night, Smith Sr. On Monday, James led the Lakers to a 140-132 win over the Rockets in which he scored a season-high 48 points while Smith scored 14 points for the Rockets. approached James with a comment that for sure made the Lakers star feel old.

LeBron James reunited with Jabari Smith Sr. on the court after the Lakers' win.

The LA Lakers superstar has almost completed 20 years in the NBA, and while his brilliance remains intact, Jabari Smith served up an age reminder.

“After the Dallas game and after the Philly game last night, we just had some heartbreaking losses, and we could have found out better ways to close the game,” James said. The Lakers scored 113 points with James on the court and did not have one turnover during that time. Smith’s cheeky remarks need a little addendum, as records show his father was in fact an unused bench player in that fixture on October 29, 2003, that saw James drop a game-high 25 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Sacramento Kings to make an immediate impact on the NBA.

The LA Lakers' huge reliance on LeBron James was on display again on Monday with the four-time MVP on a one-man mission to edge out the NBA's worst team, ...

[Philadelphia 76ers,](https://www.irishmirror.ie/all-about/nba) James admitted the burden placed on him by the Lakers' shortcomings is taking its toll. [James](https://www.irishmirror.ie/all-about/nba) reentered at the start of the fourth and within less than two minutes, the lead had swelled back to 13 points before pulling out a relatively comfortable victory, and that is just the latest example of his huge importance to his team, who sit 13th in the West after a three-game losing streak before Monday's win over [the Rockets,](https://www.irishmirror.ie/all-about/nba) who have lost 11 straight. James may be in the twilight of his iconic career, but he continues to play at an elite level, ranking sixth in the NBA with 29.7 points per game. [James](https://www.irishmirror.ie/all-about/nba) headed to the bench with the Lakers holding a comfortable 95-81 lead. [NBA's worst team, the Houston Rockets](https://www.irishmirror.ie/all-about/nba) (10-34). It was a complete team effort, and I just tried to make plays.”

There's not much LeBron James hasn't seen or done in his NBA career, but on Monday night he was stunned after Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr made ...

James arrived in the NBA with a lot of expectation as the no.1 pick back in 2003, but no one could have foreseen this level of ability. James scored a season-high of 48 points as they won 140-132, but the revelation still stuck with him, and he addressed both Smith Jr and Sr in his post-game interview. Smith Jr approached James on the court, and said: "Hey, you played against my dad your first NBA game ever."