NBA roundup: LeBron James stars as Lakers down Mavericks, Bucks stun champions Thunder

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-lebron/nuIVxFJk/"]James[/a], a four-time champion and the NBA's all-time leading scorer now in his unprecedented 23rd season, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/dallas-mavericks-YouS3mEC/los-angeles-lakers-ngegZ8bg/?mid=WpzkHqzR"]scored a game-high 28 points[/a], grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out 12 assists, pulling down his final rebound with just over two minutes remaining.[/p][p]He overtook [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/towns-karl-anthony/8np46E9P/"]Karl Malone[/a] - who was 40 years, 127 days old when he recorded a triple-double for the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Lakers[/a] in a win over San Antonio on November 28, 2003.[/p][p]James's feat comes three days before his 22nd All-Star Game appearance.[/p][p]Lakers coach JJ Redick said it was James's level of commitment after more than two decades in the league that continues to impress him the most.[/p][p][b]"I don't take for granted how good he is,"[/b] Redick said. "I recognize that on a daily basis.[/p][p]"The more remarkable thing is how much he cares in his 23rd year with all his accomplishments. He's going to get another 'oldest player to do X, Y, or Z.'[/p][p][b]"He's going to get another one of that. He is going to further cement his scoring record, he's going to do all those things.[/b][/p][p]"It's really just the day-to-day professionalism and care factor that he exhibits that is the most remarkable thing."[/p][p]With the Lakers again without NBA scoring leader [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doncic-luka/pQ4ZBK0o/"]Luka Doncic[/a], James set an early tone with 14 first-quarter points and the Lakers bounced back from two straight defeats.[/p][p][b]"The win, that's the most important thing,"[/b] said James, who received a standing ovation when he was subbed out for son [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/james-jr-bronny/ppUAl5Ir/"]Bronny James[/a], seconds after nabbing his 10th rebound.[/p][embed guid="05f2468c-87a3-409e-98cf-2b5e3849732b" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2022191714077954154" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Dieng stars as Bucks stun Thunder[/h2][p]Elsewhere. Milwaukee's Ousmane Dieng starred against his former team as the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/milwaukee-bucks/QTBEW6rC/"]Bucks[/a] beat the NBA champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City Thunder[/a] 110-93 on Thursday in a morale-boosting win ahead of the NBA All-Star break.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/milwaukee-bucks-QTBEW6rC/oklahoma-city-thunder-0fHFHEWD/?mid=KlX1e2D7"]The game[/a] in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/oklahoma-city-thunder/0fHFHEWD/"]Oklahoma City[/a] lost some star power with OKC's reigning NBA Most Valuable Player [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gilgeous-alexander-shai/d6TE5wgc/"]Shai Gilgeous-Alexander[/a] missing a fifth straight contest with an abdominal strain and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/milwaukee-bucks/QTBEW6rC/"]Milwaukee[/a]'s two-time MVP, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antetokounmpo-giannis/zw2Tm2a1/"]Giannis Antetokounmp,o[/a] sitting out a ninth straight game with a calf strain.[/p][p]French forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dieng-ousmane/KluuyFV5/"]Dieng[/a], who landed in Milwaukee after being dealt by the Thunder before the trade deadline this month, reminded Oklahoma City what they gave up with 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four blocked shots, connecting on an efficient seven of 12 shots from the field, including three three-pointers.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/green-jalen/AwTz9mYp/"]AJ Green[/a] added 27 points and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/portis-bobby/SWIo11NN/"]Bobby Portis[/a] had 15 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for Milwaukee, who had seven players score in double figures.[/p][p]The Thunder had won two straight since back-to-back losses to Western Conference rivals [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]San Antonio[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-rockets/Sr9PQALP/"]Houston[/a].[/p][embed guid="8761435e-c4bc-4a00-add4-046eb6d3e289" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2022134797590823204?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]But with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-jalen/4G5tbqUi/"]Jalen Williams[/a] joining Gilgeous-Alexander on the sidelines with a hamstring strain, Oklahoma City trailed virtually all the way.[/p][p]Guard [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/joe-isaiah/bLTWgNgj/"]Isaiah Joe[/a] scored 17 points and center [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/holmgren-chet/WxvJz45d/"]Chet Holmgren[/a] added 16 points and 13 rebounds for the Thunder, who still take a Western Conference-leading record of 42-14 into the All-Star break.[/p][p]They had more good news with the long-awaited NBA debut of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/topic-nikola/rku7Qflo/"]Nikola Topic[/a], who was diagnosed before the season with testicular cancer.[/p][p]The 20-year-old Serbian was the 12th selection in the 2024 NBA draft, missing all of the 2024-25 campaign because of a knee injury.[/p][p]Topic received a standing ovation when he entered the game in the first quarter and scored two points on one basket in 12:22 minutes of action.[/p][p]"[b]Just thrilled for him,[/b]" Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said of Topic. "[b]He's obviously been through a ton of adversity in his life in the last couple of years.[/b][/p][p]"[b]He's a young guy that all he wants to do is play basketball and that's been taken from him a couple of different times. So for him to work himself to this point, get himself on the floor is a great accomplishment[/b]."[/p]