LeBron James’ first few weeks with the Sixers have already produced a little bit of everything: a 10-assist night, his best all-around game in Philadelphia, a courtside visit from Caitlin Clark, a finger wag that rolled through the arena and a jumper he’d probably prefer to erase.
The box score captured some of it. The internet handled the rest.
The clearest sign of how James is fitting in came Wednesday night in the Sixers’ 114-109 comeback win over the Pacers. He finished with 13 points, 10 assists, five rebounds, two blocks and no turnovers, giving Philadelphia its first double-digit assist game from him since he arrived.
It was also a notable night on a bigger scale: according to StatMuse, James became the oldest player in the database to post at least 10 points and 10 assists while committing no more than one turnover. He was 41 years and 302 days old.
That kind of control has mattered for a Sixers team that spent the preseason talking about pace without wanting to pay for it with sloppy play. Nick Nurse made the team’s stance clear when asked whether he could live with more mistakes if the speed improved.
“No.”
So far, Philadelphia has stayed disciplined. Through seven games, the Sixers ranked 20th in pace, but they’ve protected the ball better than anyone else in the league, averaging an NBA-low 12.7 turnovers per game.
James has been central to that, piling up 35 assists against 11 turnovers. He leads the team in total assists even though he has played only five games, while Tyrese Maxey is second with 31 in seven appearances.
Against Indiana, James didn’t need to dominate the scoring to control the game. He took 12 shots, finished fifth on the team in points and still helped five Sixers reach double figures without giving away a possession. For a player who came in as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, he’s quickly become Philadelphia’s most reliable passer.
A few nights earlier, James delivered his best scoring performance in a Sixers uniform in the NBA Cup opener against the Knicks. Philadelphia won 98-93, and James put up 20 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, one steal and one block while shooting 8 for 15. He also saved two of his biggest baskets for the final 70 seconds.
New York had taken a 90-89 lead on Jalen Brunson’s three-pointer with 1:32 left. James answered on the next trip, backing down OG Anunoby, turning to the middle and knocking down a fadeaway to put the Sixers back on top.
Then, after VJ Edgecombe hit a three-pointer as the shot clock expired, Brunson made two free throws and Maxey missed a layup. James followed the play, grabbed the offensive rebound and scored the putback with 11.9 seconds left to seal the win.
That game also gave him a couple of familiar-looking moments. After an and-one earlier in the night, James hit his trademark shoulder-shrug celebration, and Edgecombe came over smiling and copied it. The two have already built a handshake that includes two taps to the head and a hard shrug, and this one came in the middle of the game.
James also had a crowd moment in the third quarter when Anunoby drove at the rim with him trailing the play. James got there in time, was credited with his fifth block of the season, and turned toward the fans with a finger wag. They joined in.
Edgecombe later delivered the biggest shot of the night, and James met him with an embrace near the sideline. The age gap between them is more than 20 years, but the connection has come quickly.
“He doesn’t shy away from the moment,” James said of the 21-year-old. “Young kid, but he thrives in the moment.”
Wednesday’s game had another headline attraction in the building. Caitlin Clark watched from courtside at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and she brought a small camera with her.
It was the second time this year she photographed James during a game. In March, she served as a credentialed photographer when James and the Lakers played in Indiana.
“The KING 👑 … Shot by ME,” Clark wrote when she posted those photos.
After the game, Clark went toward the visiting locker room, briefly met Maxey and then spoke with James in the hallway. James gave her one of his No. 23 Sixers jerseys, and the team shared photos with the caption, “Just a couple of hoopers.”
Clark had previously said she hoped James would end up with the Pacers before he signed with Philadelphia. Their mutual respect goes back to her first WNBA season in 2024, when James compared the attention around her pro debut to the spotlight he faced entering the NBA straight from high school.
“I’m rooting for Caitlin because I’ve been in that seat before,” James said at the time. “I’ve walked that road before.”
James didn’t speak to reporters after Wednesday’s game, so he wasn’t asked about the exchange. Maxey was, and he sounded plenty impressed.
“That’s just another person that I like to watch,” he said. “She cold.
She nice. Seeing her today was really cool.
Sometimes you try not to fan out, but it was really cool seeing her. It’s her building; she plays here too.”
The week also produced the clip that traveled fastest online. Before Wednesday’s game, James and Edgecombe were dancing near the three-point line during warmups. Edgecombe moved away, James stepped back and fired a jumper.
It hit the side of the backboard.
The video made the rounds quickly, but James still left Indianapolis with the result that mattered: 10 assists, no turnovers and a win.
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