James plays best game yet as Sixer, provides ‘calming presence' and clutch plays

The Sixers didn’t need their 22-time All-Star to do it all Friday night. Still, they needed him to be what everyone pictures when they hear LeBron James — no caveats about being almost 42 years old, saving his best for bigger games or memories of what he was once. James provided exactly that, tallying 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in the 5-1 Sixers’ NBA Cup win over the Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. He did much more than a little bit of everything. “Best game all around,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said of James. “He’s been good, but that was his best game for sure.” There have always been elements of James’ greatness that would stick out to someone who barely knew the rules of basketball. He’s a physical force who muscles through defenses, fires astounding passes and lofts in elegant fadeaway jumpers. James’ clutch plays Friday included a late mid-range bucket over OG Anunoby and a game-icing put-back layup with 11.9 seconds left off of Tyrese Maxey’s mis