LeBron James took over as starting point guard for D’Angelo Russell and performed admirably for a desperate Los Angeles Lakers club.

James became the oldest NBA player to score 40 points on perfect 3-point shooting, leading the Lakers to a much-needed 129-120 away win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, December 23.

Late in the fourth quarter, James scored nine straight points — two 3-pointers sandwiched by a 3-point play — to put the Thunder away.

“To know I can still go out and make game-winning plays, affect the game in multiple ways, and close out a game in the fourth quarter when our team needed it when they started making a run is always a good feeling for sure,” James told reporters a week before his 39th birthday.

But it was coach Darvin Ham’s choice to bench D’Angelo Russell in favor of the bigger and more defensive-minded Jarred Vanderbilt that set up James and the Lakers for success. The swap allowed James to dictate the pace of the game on offense while also giving the Lakers defensive versatility.

“We add a lot of length from the perimeter to our wings all the way down to our center,” James said of Russell’s absence from the starting lineup to Spectrum Sportsnet’s sideline reporter Mike Trudell.

“Obviously, in [Anthony Davis], we have the ability to guard multiple positions, switch a lot of actions, but more importantly, I thought when they missed shots, especially in the second and third quarters, we cleaned glass.” They provided us a chance to score on the opposite end.”

The Lakers outrebounded the Thunder (44-42) and had only nine turnovers, which was five fewer than their average (14.3) entering the game.

Gabe Vincent’s Injuries

LeBron James is here to stay, despite the fact that the Lakers’ top free agent signing, Gabe Vincent, is considering serious knee surgery.

“Gabe Vincent is considering a surgical procedure on his left knee that would keep him sidelined for 6-to-8 weeks,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote on X before the win over OKC. “Vincent’s camp is exhausting all other options before settling on surgery.”

After signing a three-year, $33 million contract this offseason, Vincent has only appeared in five Lakers games this season.

“You just have to make sure everything is well and good with him and his health first and foremost,” Ham said on December 23 via Spectrum SportsNet. “And then you just try to activate Plan B, which is sort of like the next man up.”

“Out No. 1, top priority is just to make sure that we know what’s going on with him, and put him in a position where he can get healthy.”

With Vincent out and Russell ineffectual, James stepped up to the plate and delivered big time.

What is the Lakers’ backup plan?

While James was historically brilliant in his first point guard role with the Lakers, it remains to be seen if such performance is sustainable.

If he continues to carry the Lakers offense despite turning 39 next week, James may be fatigued by the time the playoffs arrive.

What is Plan C?

If Vincent is out for an extended period of time, the Lakers may look for point guard help before the February 8 trade deadline.