LEBRON SHOOTS LIGHTS OUT
BARRAGE OF TRIPLES KEYS LAKERS PAST SPURS
LOS ANGELES – LeBron James absorbed contact and tumbled to the court while his fifth three-pointer in a three-minute span dropped through the net. The Los Angeles Lakers’ entire roster left the bench and crossed the court, gleefully picking up their leader while a sellout crowd roared.
“That’s what we’re all about,” James said. “Our team, anytime anyone is having success in the game, we cheer like it’s our own. So having that camaraderie, having that brotherhood, even though they’re beating you up, it’s just a pretty cool feeling.”
Nine days after Kobe Bryant’s death, the Lakers finally had an evening that felt like a return to normalcy.
Well, as normal as anything can be when King James is performing feats of basketball brilliance.
James scored 19 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter with that incredible 3-point barrage, propelling the Lakers to a 129-102 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night.
James added nine assists and seven rebounds, while Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma had 18 points apiece as the Lakers beat San Antonio for the third time, sweeping the season series.
After the Spurs chipped away at the Lakers’ big lead late in the third quarter, James and Kuzma put the game away with a combined seven 3-pointers in 3 1/2 minutes to start the fourth. James’ shots seemed to increase in difficulty with each possession, but he buried them all.
ROCKETS 125 – HORNETS 110
James Harden finished one rebound shy of a 40-point triple-double, and the host Houston Rockets erased a 15-point deficit to beat the Charlotte Hornets.
Harden was exceptional throughout but especially down the stretch, fueling a 12-3 run in the fourth quarter that enabled Houston to secure control. He finished with 12 assists, nine rebounds and three steals as the Rockets prevailed despite the absence of Russell Westbrook (thumb) and Clint Capela (heel).
Danuel House Jr. had 22 points and nine rebounds for Houston while P.J. Tucker posted 13 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Miles Bridges and Terry Rozier scored 20 apiece for the Hornets, who have dropped four in a row and 12 of their past 13 games. Bridges added a game-high 15 rebounds.
BUCKS 120 – PELICANS 108
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 34 points and 17 rebounds, and visiting Milwaukee used a third-quarter surge to pull away from New Orleans.
The Bucks trailed for most of the first half and were down, 61-58, at halftime before outscoring the Pelicans, 42-24, in the third quarter. Antetokounmpo scored 16 in the period. Fellow All-Star Khris Middleton added 20 points for Milwaukee.
All-Star forward Brandon Ingram led New Orleans with 32 points, and rookie Zion Williamson scored 20 (although on 5-of-19 shooting).
NUGGETS 127 – BLAZERS 99
Nikola Jokic had 29 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, Jamal Murray scored 20 in his return to the lineup after missing 10 games, and host Denver beat Portland.