The focus in New York has turned to the Knicks’ expected offseason pursuit of LeBron James, but for one night in California, the spotlight belonged to David Lee.
At the final buzzer on Friday, the Golden State Warriors beat the Knicks 128-117, but Lee’s first career triple-double – and the first for the Knicks since Latrell Sprewell accomplished the feat in 2003 – included one of the most impressive stat lines in recent memory.
The 26-year-old center scored 37 points by shooting 14-for-24 from the field and 9-for-10 from the free-throw line, grabbed 20 rebounds and dished out 10 assists in 46 minutes on the court.
In doing so, Lee became the first player to notch a 30-20-10 performance since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it on March 5, 1976. Ironically, Abdul-Jabbar’s 35 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists also came in a game against Golden State.
Lee – an impending free agent who may be in his final weeks with the Knicks – already put his stamp on the organization by earning the team’s first trip to the All-Star Game since 2001. This time, he provided another bright spot for a fan base that has suffered through a disappointing 26-49 season.
