He converted from the free-throw line to secure victory for the Lakers with less than two seconds remaining, in what was the fifth game this season that he managed a haul of over 30 points.“Sometimes you need to remind people” was James’ response when he was asked by reporters why he felt the need to make his social media comment.Brooks and James have formed a rivalry in recent seasons but the former was upstaged on this occasion, despite scoring 24 points for the Rockets.James says it is a narrative that keeps him motivated – and even had some praise for his rival.“He’s a great competitor. I like going against him and he was hooping tonight for sure,” he said of Brooks.“He shot the ball exceptionally well and kept them in the game.

“I’m just trying to push the limit. See how far I can take this thing. It’s me versus Father Time.”

James finished a drive with a dunk midway through the fourth quarter to put LA ahead by seven in the game.”They’ve been joking about me, saying that I lay the ball up too much when I got an open lane,” he said afterwards.”So I’m trying to change that narrative too.”Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to six matches with a 102-100 victory over Memphis Grizzlies, while the Detroit Pistons lost for the 11th straight game, going down 142-113 to the Toronto Raptors.Philadelphia 76ers beat the Brooklyn Nets 121-99 and defending champions Denver Nuggets lost 121-109 to the Cleveland Cavaliers.- – -TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing and WWE. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination. You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.