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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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LeBron James might have to put his retirement plans on hold and keep giving the world his basketball greatness.
On Thursday evening, he and the Los Angeles Lakers dispatched of a difficult Western Conference opponent, taking down the Houston Rockets, 124-116, in a game that featured numerous LeBron highlight clips, including several rim-rattling dunks.
The 41-year-old is in his 23rd season of NBA competition, and still doing it at an elite level. Last night's game evidenced that, as he scored a mere 30 points and filled the stat sheet with five rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block, in a historic shooting night for someone his age.
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That contribution added to teammate Luka Doncic's 40-point near-triple-double. Between the two teammates, the teams are having tough nights of contending with the elder NBA superstar and the heir to this throne with the Lakers.
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Kevin Durant was on the other side of the Rockets' loss. After scoring 18 points to go with six rebounds and four assists in the loss, he offered his thoughts on whether he was surprised to see King James do what he did at 41 in an NBA game against younger athletes.
"I'm not surprised anymore. He's a freak athlete. He's a generational athlete. He cares and loves the game. He cares about his body. This is what he does. He's built for this, since he was a kid," Durant said.
"Me? I think he could play til he's 45 years old," KD also said, adding, "I don't know if he want to be around that long, but I think he could play for another four to five more years, to be honest."
LeBron's 30-point night also featured a near-perfect shooting performance, as he went 13-of-14 with his field goals and made history. The NBA announced he was the first player in the league's history to drop 30 with 90 percent or better field goal percentage in a regular season game after turning 41.
His legacy is already sealed, but the great performances and highlights keep on coming, and at times when nobody is expecting them. Durant believes LeBron could keep bringing those sorts of special nights and plays for another four or five more years, but the King may disagree.
Last night's game and previous games have seen him diving on the floor and experiencing injury concerns, including his elbow. While he may seem like a "freak athlete," he still experiences the aches and pains of the game.
He hasn't specified an exact date for his retirement yet, and that decision may come after this latest Lakers' run. However, many people selfishly hope that he extends his playing time as long as Durant believes LeBron can continue.
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