LeBron James about 38th birthday game: 'I've been scoring 30 and it hasn't worked' / News - Basketnews.com

LeBron James reacted to a 47-point game on his 38th birthday: "I called it before the game, so I had to make it happen."

Credit: AFP – Scanpix Credit AFP – Scanpix

LeBron James sure knows how to celebrate his birthday in style. On the night he turned 38 years old, LeBron scored 47 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out nine assists to carry the Lakers to a 130-121 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Player of the Game EFF 51 LeBron James Points 47 Accuracy 18-27 Rebounds 10 Assists 9

To begin the game, Los Angeles fans would have never thought it was going to turn out this way for LeBron and the Lakers. Shooting only 1-5 from the field in the 1st quarter, LeBron looked to be carrying the burden of playing his third game in four nights.

"I called it before the game, so I had to make it happen," James said post-game. "After starting 1 for 5 I didn't know if it was going to happen."

Despite that, LeBron kept his head up and looked for something that will give his team the best chances to win.

"I mean I have been scoring 30 [points] and it hasn't worked. So, I am going to try 40. And we go the win. This is good, this is math," he told the reporters.

A four-time NBA champion then referred to the most important aspects that help him stay in the position he is in at 38 years old.

"For me, it's all about preparing the mind, putting in the work every single day," James said. "Seeing how great I can be on a day-to-day basis and then obviously throughout all these seasons, there's so many different narratives and rollercoasters that you have to navigate through.

"The frustrations, the good times, the bad times, so I just try to stay as even keel and as sharp as I can be throughout the course of a full season."

James had his mother Gloria and his wife Savannah sitting courtside for his birthday.

"They've been with me since before this 20-year campaign started," he spoke. "They're the rock to everything that I do. To have them there tonight sitting courtside and just being a part of this journey, being here for my birthday, being here for the holidays, it's pretty cool."

LeBron added two free throws to cap off his incredible birthday performance and make it 130-121, with the Atlanta crowd chanting, "MVP! MVP!"

"Atlanta has always been kind and welcoming to myself and my teammates no matter what uniform I've been in," James said. "They've always respected the game."

Last but not least, LeBron touched on his mindset when he was 18 and just began his professional path in Cleveland in 2003.

"At 18 years old, I knew how to play the game. I knew I belonged in the NBA, but I didn't know what I could become at 18. But I knew if I continued to put in the work and I continued to reach into the game then I could be one of the greatest players to ever play this game," 18-time NBA All-Star concluded.

LeBron James' performance:

Subscribe to BN+ and get access to exclusive content.