LeBron James can now say he has something Michael Jordan doesn't—an NBA In-Season Tournament Championship.
James and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers 123-109 on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas to claim the first-ever in-season tournament title.
NBA @NBAThe <a href="">@Lakers</a> are the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament Champions! <a href="">
It was an impressive showing for the trio of James, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves, in particular. Some might even say it was a masterclass by Davis, who notched 41 points, 20 rebounds, five assists and four blocks in the win.
Reaves, meanwhile, finished with 28 points, two rebounds and three assists, and James notched 24 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and two steals en route to winning the In-Season Tournament MVP award.
NBA on TNT @NBAonTNTMOST VALUABLE PLAYER 🏆<br><br>LeBron James is named the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament MVP! <a href="">
While Davis was a big talking point for NBA fans due to his play on both ends of the court, James drew praise from fans across the league on X, formerly known as Twitter, for adding to his ever-growing legacy after claiming the NBA Cup:
BronMuse @BronMuseIn-Season Tournament Championships:<br><br>1 — LeBron James<br>0 — Michael Jordan <a href="">
Doug Brotherton @CoachBrothertonWhat LeBron did in this in-season tournament was incredible… what AD did tonight gives them a chance to win a much more meaningful trophy later in the season. The Lakers are not the favorites, but they are definitely title contenders. 🏆<a href="">#AppreciateGreatness</a> <a href="">#NBA</a>
Seth Davis @SethDavisHoopsIt's always hard to say ever and never, but I just can't imagine ever seeing an athlete like LeBron James on this planet again. For him to come into this league at 18 with all the hype, and still be playing like this at 39 ... it just shouldn't be possible.
Ben Stinar @BenStinarSomething SPECIAL about LeBron James .. he knows how important HE IS to the NBA .. he could have said he was 38 and took these games off to avoid the extra travel/ games .. INSTEAD he went ALL OUT and led his team to the title. Great for him. Great for marketing the new tourney.
DraftKings @DraftKingsLeBron James has done it ALL!<br><br>🏆 4x NBA Champ<br>🏆 4x Finals MVP<br>🏆 4x MVP <br>🏀 19x All-NBA<br>🏀 19x All Star<br>🏆 Rookie of the Year<br>🏀 All-time scoring leader <br><br>And now, In-Season Tournament Champion 🏆 <a href="">
Big Game Bengal @BengalYouTubeMichael Jordan never won the in-season tournament<br>Another feather in the cap of LeBron James for the best player of all time.
Le5-6 @deepyy_Lebron James a In Season tournament champion. Jordan never did that <a href="">
Angel @oceanriamarLeBron winning the first ever In-Season Tournament is so poetic
adam 🅴 (9-3) @sweatrweathrmanLEBRON IS THE GOAT
Ignacio @ishi_inuLEBRON JAMES 🐐
RoyVino 🐸 @1familyOnegoalLebron Is The Best Leader In Sports. Kinda Cemented That Shit Tonight.
Big RayMoney💰💰 @theeraymoneyLebron the greatest to ever do it
The Lakers have been at the top of their game from the moment the in-season tournament tipped off last month.
L.A. won each of its four group stage matchups against the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz to win Western Conference Group A and secure a berth in the knockout stages.
The Purple and Gold went on to secure victories over the Suns and New Orleans Pelicans to luck up a spot in the championship game, and those victories can be attributed to the play of James, who head coach Darvin Ham has referred to as an MVP frontrunner this year.
James averaged 30.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 2.5 steals over those two games.
The 38-year-old continues to show why he is one of the best players in NBA history, and what he is doing at his age is nothing short of remarkable.
With the IST title locked up, James and the Lakers can now focus on winning the trophy that matters most—the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. James is seeking his fifth NBA title and first since 2020.
