The Los Angeles Lakers are pushing to stay in the NBA title race, relying heavily on LeBron James as he plays through the later stages of his career. Heading into Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers trailed 2-1 in their first-round playoff series. They now face an even steeper challenge after a 116-113 defeat, giving Minnesota a 3-1 series lead. Despite the tough loss, James reached a personal milestone during the game. The NBA announced that James surpassed Boston Celtics great Kevin McHale to move into ninth place on the league’s all-time playoff blocks list. The NBA’s official account celebrated the achievement, posting, “Congrats to @KingJames of the @Lakers for moving into 9th on the all-time playoff BLOCKS list!” James now trails several iconic players on that list, including Tim Duncan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, Robert Parish, Patrick Ewing, and Serge Ibaka.
Heading into Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, James was averaging 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. Known as one of the greatest playmakers and scorers in NBA history—holding the top spot on the league’s all-time scoring list—James recently drew attention for his defensive contributions as well.
During this season with the Lakers, James has also recorded averages of 0.6 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. Now, he and the Lakers are set to face a must-win elimination game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET. In the Lakers’ Game 4 defeat, James delivered a strong performance with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists.
