'Vintage' LeBron James Hyped by Fans amid Incredible Start for Lakers vs. Mavs with Luka, Flagg Out

The Los Angeles Lakers needed a big night from LeBron James against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday with star point guard Luka Dončić sidelined.

The star veteran brought the intensity from the opening tip.

James scored or assisted on the first 23 points of the night, putting up 10 points and collecting six assists. By the end of the first quarter, he had 14 points and six assists on 5-of-6 from the field. He finished the first half with 18 points, eight assists, four rebounds and a block.

Father Time may be creeping up on James, but the 41-year-old came out looking like he was still in his prime on Thursday. Fans applauded the hot start from James on social media.

While James may not be the player he once was, he's still more than capable of taking over. He came into Thursday's game putting up 21.8 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 boards per game.

James will get some much-needed rest with the All-Star Break on the horizon, and he and the Lakers will look to begin the second half of the season strong.