LeBron James' vintage performance leaves Philly crowd in awe

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — LeBron James doesn't silence the crowd when he hits the road, he raises fans to their feet in exhilaration and gets them roaring in appreciation — as he did down the stretch in Philadelphia — for the clutch shots that could be the last they see in person as retirement speculation swirls.

The 76ers, well, they could have done without James throwing his game back to his prime.

In his first game since his NBA record double-digit scoring streak ended, James not only hit that mark in the first half, but he also scored 10 straight points in the fourth quarter in the decisive stretch that sent the Lakers to a 112-108 victory over the Sixers on Sunday night.

James scored 29 points on 12-of-17 shooting in a vintage performance that belied the fact the aging All-Star has battled injuries that curtailed his summer workouts and cost him the start of the season. He sat out Friday against Boston with sciatica, which kept him sidelined for the first 14 games this season, and left foot joint arthritis.

The brief time off after James' double-digit streak ended Thursday at Toronto helped him work through his injuries and get him healthy — healthier, at least — in time to face Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers.

“I'm still not 100% but I felt a lot better tonight than I did coming out of the Toronto game,” James said.

James' 10 point-run in the fourth went like this: a long 2, a 3-pointer, another 3 that snapped a tie with 1:12 left and a 20-foot fadeaway that made it 110-105 and put the game away.

“It never gets old,” James said. “That's the one thing you won't be able to get back when you're done playing. That arena. That excitement of going out, the boos, the cheers, whatever the case. So do it in a win, it's even more important. That's what I hope, I'll come up clutch in a win. That's even more exciting.”

James could use some excitement in a season that Lakers have so far successfully navigated without much of his presence. James, who will turn 41 on Dec. 30, played 36 minutes in the Lakers’ 123-120 win over Toronto on Thursday night. The game saw the end of James’ streak of 1,297 double-digit scoring games when the NBA’s career points leader finished with eight points.

By his own description, he’s not in rhythm yet, after missing the entire preseason and all but seven games of the regular season with an injury.

“I've never not started a basketball season in my life since I started when I was 9 years old,” James said. “When the season started, I was ready to go. It was definitely challenging to me mentally just sitting on the bench. Not being able to practice with the guys, not being able to get the reps in with the guys. Definitely challenging. I understand it's a process and I've always fell in love with the process more than anything.”

James wasn't the only returning star for the Lakers.

Luka Doncic was back after he missed the last two games as he traveled to his hometown of Ljubljana, Slovenia where fiancee Anamaria Goltes gave birth to their daughter, Oliva.

“Obviously, two girls, they’re going to make my life hell, for sure,” Doncic said with a laugh. “All jokes aside, it’s the best thing in the world.”

Doncic ripped off a triple-double in his first game as a father or two with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists.

“I want to play the game for them,” Doncic said. “When they grow up, they can see what their father did, basketball-wise.”

Lakers coach JJ Redick has two children with his wife, Chelsea, said before the game he hoped Doncic would have enough energy to play after the long trip.

“We do know there was some travel involved to a different continent,” Reddick said. “We're hoping he's himself today.”

Doncic — who leads the league with 35.3 points in his first full season with the Lakers — was mostly himself, though the five-time All-Star didn't have a sharp shooting touch but still played 39 minutes.

“Luka clearly with all the travel he's had this week wasn't necessarily at his best scoring the basketball,” Redick said. “Still did a lot of great stuff for us. LeBron was our connector tonight.”

He was the difference for the Lakers and easily outplayed his fellow 2024 Paris Games gold medalist in Embiid (missed 17 of 21 shots overall; 0 for 6 on 3s).

James may play another season. He may call it quits at the end of this season.

Either way, the Philly crowd of 20,431 sure showed their appreciation for a game when James came up big in big moments.

“I do think it's important to be reminded every now and then of what you're capable of,” Redick said.

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Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic, left, makes his move against Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, left, talks with Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, center, gets the ball stolen by Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey, right, as Jabari Walker, left, is defending during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, left, shoots the ball over Philadelphia 76ers' Paul George, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, left, reacts to his three point shot with Luka Doncic, right, celebrating during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James talks to a referee during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic warms up prior to an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, spiked back over $100 as Iranian strikes hit ships in the regions waters and the ongoing American-Israeli war with Iran showed so signs of slowing.

Thursday’s major developments include Iranian attacks against commercial ships around the Strait of Hormuz and Iraq's port of Basra, escalating a campaign of squeezing the oil-rich Gulf region as global energy concerns mount. The U.S. campaign of airstrikes in Iran is now in its 13th day.

The Israeli military is also striking Iran and its militant ally Hezbollah in Lebanon, where more than 800,000 people have been displaced by the fighting.

Here's the latest:

Israel’s military said it was working to intercept a missile launch from Iran early on Thursday morning.

It was the third such announcement Thursday, as Israel also said it was targeting Tehran with strikes.

Other overnight missile launches from Iran sent Israelis hurrying to shelters in areas from the very southern tip of the country, to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, to the Galilee and the northern border with Lebanon, where sirens were also sounded to warn of drone and rocket attacks from Hezbollah.

Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said an Iranian drone smashed into a residential building Thursday in the small Mideast nation, wounding two people.

A container ship off Dubai in the Persian Gulf came under attack Thursday, sparking a small fire, the British military said.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said the attack happened just before dawn. It said an “unknown projectile” hit the vessel as it was some 65 kilometers (40 miles) off the coast of Dubai’s Jebel Ali port.

It added that the crew of the vessel were safe.

The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, topped $100 a barrel early Thursday, just days after it spiked near $120.

Oil prices shot more than 9% higher as supply concerns worsened with Iranian attacks on commercial shipping around the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. benchmark crude oil jumped to about $95 a barrel.

Read more here.

An attack on Iraq’s Basra port early Thursday killed at least one person and forced authorities to halt operations at all the country’s oil terminals, officials said.

Farhan al-Fartousi, the director-general of the General Company for Ports of Iraq, made the announcement in a statement carried by the state-run Iraqi News Agency on Thursday. Al-Fartousi said the attack targeted ships in the ship-to-ship transfer are of the Basra port on the Persian Gulf. He said it remained unclear if the ship was targeted by a flying or seaborne drone or a missile.

Rescuers recovered one dead body and helped 38 others after the attack. He said commercial ports in Iraq remained open, though the oil terminals had been shut.

Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization has identified the two tankers as the Safesea Vishnu, flagged in the Marshall Islands, and the tanker Zefyros, flagged in Malta.

FILE - People gather in a rally to support Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the successor to his late father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as supreme leader, in Tehran, Iran, March 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)

A mourner holds a poster depicting Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, right, the successor to his late father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, as supreme leader, during the funeral procession for senior Iranian military officials and civilians killed during the U.S.-Israel campaign in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A French military plane carrying humanitarian aid to Lebanon is seen through buildings in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, landing at Rafik Hariri International Airport, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A shepherd walks by as smoke rises into the sky from a nearby airbase following attacks early Thursday in Harir, Iraq, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

An oil tanker burns after being hit by an Iranian strike in the ship-to-ship transfer zone at Khor al-Zubair port near Basra, Iraq, late Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo)

A woman gathers belongings from her family's home after it was damaged by a projectile launched from Lebanon, in Haniel, central Israel, Thursday, March 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Baz Ratner)

Oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Smoke and flames rise from buildings following an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

A person fills their vehicle at a gas station in Tallinn, Estonia, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

People take cover in an underground bomb shelter as air raid sirens warn of incoming Iranian missile strike, in Ramat Gan, Israel, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

A man, left, carries the body of his son, Kassem Younis, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, during his funeral procession in the southern village of Chehabiyeh, Lebanon, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

This image released by the Royal Thai Navy shows Thai cargo ship, Mayuree Naree, that was struck and set ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (Royal Thai Navy via AP)

Mourners attend the funeral procession for senior Iranian military officials and some civilians killed during the U.S.-Israel campaign, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Flames rise from an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)