LeBron James I walked through the visiting locker room on Christmas afternoon and wondered if there was music playing inside the Chase Center.
As a DJ played early-2000s Ludacris near the rim where the Lakers were warming up, James broke the routine to dance and smile.
As much as any player in the league before or since, James is aware of the scenario. And even after doing it 18 times over 21 seasons, a spot on the court on Christmas night with everyone watching hit him like a triple espresso.
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Facing Stephen Curry And the Warriors in a big game? Old news for James, who competed against one of his biggest rivals in five different playoff series (and one play-in game).
But in the context of this season, with James just days away from turning 40, he seemed like someone determined to savor things.
He hugged Curry before the game, and the two Summer Olympic teammates still enjoy that experience. He ran onto the court after halftime and stopped at the end of the tunnel to playfully dance to “Not Like Us” with Chase Center security. And during the action, he turned in an age-defying performance for the unexpectedly shorthanded Lakers in a 115-113 victory against the Warriors with the timely help of Austin Reaves.
After a flurry of baskets from Curry in the fourth, Reaves beat Andrew Wiggins and scored with one second left to seal the victory.
Without D’Angelo Russell the whole game and Anthony Davis Out for most of the time, James not only used his old man strength to intimidate the paint. He jumped passing lanes, dug in and deflected into double teams, attacked middies and intimidated smaller defenders between him and the rim.
Russell did not play after suffering a sprained thumb in the Lakers’ loss to Detroit on Monday. Davis, a player who has thrived against smaller Golden State lineups, played just seven shutout minutes before exiting with a sprained left ankle.
It meant that even the most energetic version of James would need help. On Wednesday he got it.
Reaves had 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, the third triple-double of his career. James finished with 31 points, 10 assists and four rebounds. Rui Hachimura scored 18 and hit five 3-pointers, smiling at the Lakers’ bench as he ran toward the defense. Max Christie and Gabe Vincent chased Curry, and rookie Dalton Knecht, caught in a month-long slump, contributed 13 points off the bench for the Lakers (17-13).
But winning is always difficult, and the Warriors (15-14), like James, don’t shy away from the biggest stages.
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Former Laker Dennis Schroder hit a 3-pointer after a block by James, and Curry scored a layup to cut the Lakers’ lead to two in 30 seconds.
Christie hit a pair of free throws, but Curry hit an incredibly difficult 3-pointer over James deep in the corner to make it a one-point game. Reaves made both free throws but the door was still open.
And Curry got enough off a Draymond Green screen to make another three, this time with no one on him to tie the game with six seconds left before Reaves won it for the Lakers with a layup.
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This story originally appeared on Los Angeles Times.