LeBron James equals Robert Parish with his 1611th game in the NBA

LeBron James once again defied any logic of professional sports. After playing on Wednesday in Houston, traveling overnight and arriving at his hotel in Miami around five in the morning, the Los Angeles Lakers player was not only available but also led the 134-126 victory against the Miami Heat with another complete performance.

In that context, the game had a historic value. It was game number 1,611 in LeBron James's career, a figure that equaled the NBA games played record held by the legendary Robert Parish.

Parish's record, which stood for almost three decades, was always seen as a reference of extreme longevity. However, the former player himself was not surprised by James's achievement, but rather pleased with who is about to surpass him. As he explained, the dedication of the current leader of the Lakers fully justifies him taking that place.

Parish set his record on April 9, 1996, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 1,560 games, and even extended it before retiring in 1997. During his career, he shared the locker room with figures like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, which gives dimension to the recognition he now grants to James.

Far from considering it an untouchable record, Parish always thought it would eventually fall. And the chosen one, in his opinion, is the ideal candidate due to his discipline and care for his body, an approach that he himself applied during his career.

The Key for LeBron James

James, for his part, downplayed the milestone from an individual perspective. For him, the key to his career has always been availability. He believes that a leader should be present for his team, and that mindset has led him to stay competitive for over two decades.

In terms of performance, he continues to excel. Against Miami, he recorded 19 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists, on a night when the Lakers secured their eighth consecutive victory, the best streak of the season. The day before, against the Houston Rockets, he delivered another dominant performance with 30 points and an impressive 13 of 14 shooting from the field.

The comparison with Parish also highlights the magnitude of his current moment. While the center averaged 3.7 points and 2.1 rebounds in his final season with the Chicago Bulls at the age of 43, James continues to put up star numbers in his 23rd season, averaging 21.4 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.6 rebounds.

Lakers coach JJ Redick emphasized the player's "competitive resilience" as the differentiating factor explaining his longevity. His ability to maintain daily focus and prioritize basketball has been, according to the coach, the foundation of his consistency.

Furthermore, James took the opportunity to respond to certain criticisms received during his injury absence at the beginning of the team's positive streak. He rejected the idea that the Lakers perform better without him, pointing out that such narratives respond more to media impact than reality.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, LeBron James iguala a Robert Parish con su partido nº 1611 en la NBA