LeBron James Hints at Last at Knicks MSG

There are successful trips to New York City, and then there's what New York Knicks opponent LeBron James had over the weekend.

James put forth another sterling performance in front of a metropolitan audience at Madison Square Garden, mustering a 33-point, 12-assist, 11-rebound showing in a 128-112 win for the Los Angeles Lakers. The win came just about an hour before ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Los Angeles would obtain the services of former Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic in a jaw-dropping trade.

With James having turned 40 in December, many who have grown tired of seeing their teams fall victim to his efforts have taken solace in the idea that retirement is looming. ESPN/ABC's Lisa Salters tried to pry a hint out of James at the end of her postgame interview with the four-time NBA champion and MVP by asking if the world would see him at MSG at least one more time.

"Um, possibly," James said before scurrying off. "We'll see!"

Saturday's triumph ended a five-game winning streak for the Knicks (32-17), who have been one of the most prominent victims to "King" James' royal antics. James has never been one to hide his appreciation for playing at "The World's Most Famous Arena" and has set several major landmarks under its iconic roof. The latest came on Saturday, as James is now the only player in NBA history to put up multiple triple-doubles at 40 years or older.

"It's the Mecca of basketball, it's the greatest arena in the world," James told Salters. "So many athletes come through here and play the game of basketball, so many entertainers come here and rock the house, so many performers. I've been blessed in my 22 years to be a part of the history in this building so I'm always just trying to get back."

Another lasting memory came when James was on the bench: as the Lakers (28-19) pulled away and emptied their bench, James got to watch his son Bronny score Los Angeles' final points of the game of the game with 51 seconds remaining.

The night got even sweeter for James after that, as the basketball world was left stunned by the trade that sent Doncic to the West Coast. Despite losing Anthony Davis in the deal, the Lakers get another momentum boost in the form of Doncic after winning their sixth game over the last seven showings. Davis did not play in Saturday's game due to an abdominal strain that's said to be sidelining him for at least a week.

The Knicks face the Lakers in Southern California on March 6 to complete their yearly couple against James and the purple-and-gold. In the meantime, they'll welcome the Houston Rockets to his favorite arena on Monday night (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/NBA TV).

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