February 13, 2026 | Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles | Attendance: 18,679
Karl Malone’s name was on a record that had stood since 2003. LeBron James removed it Thursday night.
James posted 28 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Dallas Mavericks 124-104, becoming the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double at 41 years and 44 days old. Malone held the mark after logging a triple-double for the Lakers at 40 years and 127 days in November 2003, also in Los Angeles.
It was the 123rd triple-double of James’s career, placing him fifth all-time behind Russell Westbrook, Nikola Jokic, Oscar Robertson, and Magic Johnson. Fourteen of the 15 oldest triple-doubles in league history now belong to him.
Table of Contents
How He Did It
James controlled the game before Dallas could settle in. Per ESPN Research, he scored or assisted on the Lakers’ first 23 points of the night, something that had never happened in his 23 seasons. He had 14 of his 28 points in the first quarter alone and stood at 22 points and 12 assists heading into the fourth. His 10th rebound came with 2:06 remaining. He checked out of the game moments later.
Dallas was not passive. The Mavericks chipped away through the second quarter, erasing a 13-point deficit to pull within one at halftime, 64-63. It was close for a moment. Then the third quarter settled it. Los Angeles outscored Dallas 32-19, pushed the lead to 22 at its widest, and held it from there.
Score by Quarter
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Mavericks | 31 | 32 | 19 | 22 | 104 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 36 | 28 | 32 | 28 | 124 |
Los Angeles held the lead for 85 percent of the game. Dallas managed the advantage for just seven.
What They Said
James on what the record meant at this point in his career:
“To be able to do it and get the win, that means more to me than anything.”
“I guess I’m more appreciative of moments like this in my career, understanding where I’m at, at the later stage of my journey. You definitely take it in a little bit more.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick on what he watches every night:
“I don’t take for granted how good he is. He’s got a 23-year prime, basically.”
Dallas coach Jason Kidd, from the opposing bench:
“It just shows someone who’s taken care of his body and his mind up to this point is playing the game the right way. And at a high level.”
Austin Reaves nearly cost James the milestone, going up for a rebound late that would have kept him at nine boards:
“Everybody on the team yelled at me.”
Other Standout Performances
Los Angeles Lakers
- Rui Hachimura — 21 points on 9-of-13 from the field, including three three-pointers
- Austin Reaves — 18 points and six assists off the bench
- Jaxson Hayes — 16 points, seven rebounds, four blocks on 8-of-10 shooting
- Luke Kennard — Nine points, seven rebounds, plus-29 in 18 minutes
Dallas Mavericks
- Naji Marshall — Team-high 19 points on 8-of-13 from the field
- Max Christie — 19 points, four assists
- P.J. Washington — 18 points, seven-of-eight from the free throw line
- Brandon Williams — 17 points, seven assists, five rebounds
Los Angeles Lakers — Full Box Score
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT | STL | BLK | TO | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STARTERS | |||||||||||
| LeBron James | 35 | 28 | 10 | 12 | 10-20 | 2-7 | 6-7 | 1 | 0 | 4 | +6 |
| Rui Hachimura | 35 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 9-13 | 3-4 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +21 |
| Jake LaRavia | 26 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 4-6 | 0-1 | 3-3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +21 |
| Jaxson Hayes | 34 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 8-10 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +26 |
| Marcus Smart | 26 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 4-14 | 1-9 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +6 |
| BENCH | |||||||||||
| Austin Reaves | 28 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 5-10 | 1-3 | 7-9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +18 |
| Luke Kennard | 18 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 3-4 | 1-2 | 2-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +29 |
| Jarred Vanderbilt | 17 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 2-3 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +10 |
| Maxi Kleber | 13 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2-3 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -6 |
| Adou Thiero | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Drew Timme | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bronny James | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dalton Knecht | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kobe Bufkin | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| TOTALS | 124 | 44 | 35 | 48-86 | 10-31 | 18-21 | 8 | 3 | 12 | ||
| 55.8% | 32.3% | 85.7% |
Inactive: Luka Doncic (hamstring strain), Deandre Ayton, Nick Smith Jr., Chris Manon
Dallas Mavericks — Full Box Score
| Player | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG | 3PT | FT | STL | BLK | TO | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STARTERS | |||||||||||
| Naji Marshall | 29 | 19 | 2 | 4 | 8-13 | 0-3 | 3-5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -19 |
| P.J. Washington | 34 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 5-10 | 1-4 | 7-8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 |
| Daniel Gafford | 28 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | -22 |
| Max Christie | 30 | 19 | 1 | 4 | 7-12 | 2-4 | 3-4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -28 |
| Brandon Williams | 29 | 17 | 5 | 7 | 6-11 | 1-3 | 4-5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | +2 |
| BENCH | |||||||||||
| Klay Thompson | 23 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 4-8 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 |
| Khris Middleton | 21 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 3-11 | 1-5 | 1-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -16 |
| Marvin Bagley III | 20 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3-7 | 0-1 | 1-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -18 |
| Tyus Jones | 19 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1-3 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -22 |
| Dwight Powell | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 |
| AJ Johnson | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 |
| TOTALS | 104 | 28 | 22 | 39-79 | 7-26 | 19-25 | 7 | 1 | 15 | ||
| 49.4% | 26.9% | 76.0% |
Inactive: Cooper Flagg (sprained foot), Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, Caleb Martin, Miles Kelly, Ryan Nembhard, Moussa Cisse
Team Stats
| Stat | Dallas | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals | 39-79 | 48-86 |
| FG% | 49.4% | 55.8% |
| Three-Pointers | 7-26 | 10-31 |
| 3PT% | 26.9% | 32.3% |
| Free Throws | 19-25 | 18-21 |
| FT% | 76.0% | 85.7% |
| Total Rebounds | 28 | 44 |
| Offensive Rebounds | 4 | 10 |
| Defensive Rebounds | 24 | 34 |
| Assists | 22 | 35 |
| Turnovers | 15 | 13 |
| Points in Paint | 54 | 66 |
| Fast Break Points | 18 | 20 |
| Points Off Turnovers | 20 | 15 |
| Steals | 7 | 8 |
| Blocks | 1 | 3 |
| Largest Lead | 2 | 22 |
| % of Game Led | 7% | 85% |
The rebounding gap said everything. Los Angeles pulled down 44 boards to Dallas’s 28, with a 10-4 advantage on the offensive glass. That margin fed 66 points in the paint against 54 and produced second-chance opportunities the Mavericks had no answer for.
The Mavericks’ Situation
Dallas came into this game without their three most important players. Luka Doncic, the NBA’s scoring leader, sat out for the fourth straight game with a mild hamstring strain, his first absence against his former team since the trade. Rookie Cooper Flagg was out with a sprained foot. Kyrie Irving was also unavailable.
Without Doncic running the offense, Dallas had no reliable option in critical stretches. Brandon Williams led the team with seven assists. He also had four turnovers.
The Mavericks fell to 19-35, their ninth consecutive loss and the franchise’s longest skid in 28 seasons, stretching back to the 1997-98 campaign. Los Angeles improved to 33-21 and leads the season series between these two teams, 3-0.
Redick said he expected Doncic to return after the All-Star break and was uncertain whether the Slovenian would participate in the All-Star Game despite leading the league in fan votes.
James entered this season averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 5.7 rebounds at 41 years old and was selected to his 22nd All-Star Game. He has also missed 18 games this season, which made him ineligible for end-of-season All-NBA consideration and ended a 21-year consecutive streak. Those absences tell one story. The 35 minutes he plays when he is on the floor tell another.
On February 13, in the same building where Malone set the record 22 years earlier, James put his name over it. For a player in his 23rd season, that is where the Los Angeles Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks player stats will always point back to.
