Lakers Unleashed Vintage LeBron James Against Mavs and the Rest of the NBA Should Be Terrified

It's been just a few weeks of regular season NBA basketball and LeBron James already feels the need to drop a near-40 point triple-double. Yes, a regular season game to begin November was deemed important enough by the King to show up in a large way.

Normally, this would be a concern. Do the Lakers really need this kind of performance from LeBron on Nov. 1? Are they reeling this early in the regular season? However, for once James' numbers actually do tell the full story. LBJ is perfectly fine deferring, and for the first time since he took his talents to Hollywood he finally has a team talented enough to delay his takeover as long as he'd like.

You're damn right it's been awhile. James' first season in Los Angeles ended in disappointment and uncertainty, as his groin injury worried Lakers and NBA fans alike. Would LeBron ever be the same?

The safe--and correct--answer was yes. With more than the regularly-allotted offseason to prepare, and the addition of Anthony Freaking Davis, the best sidekick he's had since prime Dwyane Wade, James is out of excuses, not that he'd make them to begin with.

The Mavericks are talented, albeit young. They made several mistakes down the stretch, including closing out on James driving to the rim in the waning seconds while they were up three, allowing him to find Danny Green for the game-tying shot. Their mistake, and perhaps ours, was assuming he wouldn't--no couldn't--defer in such a critical moment.

Yet, it's James' ability to understand when he's out of options vs the precise moment he shouldn't do too much. Per usual, he's found equilibrium, and the basketball world is on notice. Thanos is back.