LeBron drops 40 to lead Lakers past Trail Blazers

PORTLAND: Forty-year-old LeBron James had 40 points on Thursday night, as he led a Luka-less Lakers to a 110-102 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Once again, age seemed to have no effect on LeBron, as the Lakers star scored 40 points in the 35 minutes he played, scoring 14 of his 24 field goal attempts, including four shots from deep on a 50 per cent clip. He is now the first player in National Basketball Association (NBA) history to have multiple 40 point games at the age of 40 or older. Michael Jordan is the only other player to have a 40 point game at the age of 40, but he only had one.

Despite not having Luka Doncic due to injury management for his left calf, LeBron had all the help he needed in Austin Reaves. The 26-year-old shooting guard had a chip on his shoulder after he was ejected in the Lakers’ Wednesday night game against the Charlotte Hornets. Reeves had 32 points in the game. He struggled from deep only hitting two of his eight attempts, but made up for it on the line, scoring 12 of his 13 free throws.

Deni Avdija had the most points for Portland with 28 in the 33 minutes he played, along with four rebounds and five assists. Toumani Camara had 19 points, while Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe had 12 and 11 respectively.

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The Game

Reaves would get off to a great start, penetrating the paint to make a couple layups and a series of free throws. Near the end of the first frame, he would drain a step back three, bringing his total to 12. By the end of the quarter, the Lakers would find themselves up 13 points, 28-15.

That lead ballooned to 18 points halfway through the second, as LeBron hit his stride. He would open scoring in the quarter with a driving layup, and then continued to find his way to the basket. The elder statesman of the NBA had a few jump shots as well, to bring his quarter total to 12 points. Reaves had seven more points in the frame as well. However, the Trail Blazers outscored the Lakers in the quarter, 32-17, thanks to Avdija’s eight points, as well as Henderson and Dalano Banton’s seven each. At the end of the first half, the Lakers led, 55-47.

Portland continued to claw their way back into the game in the next quarter, outscoring Los Angeles 30-23. LeBron bore the brunt of the offensive load for the Lakers once again, scoring 12 points in the third, as he made a layup early in the frame, a couple shots from beyond the arc, and a few free throws. However, it wasn’t enough to outdo Avdija, who had a great quarter, scoring 16 points off two threes, a dunk, a layup, and a hook, as well as a couple free throws. At the end of the third, the Lakers led by only one, 78-77.

LeBron and Reaves closed out the night with 12 and 11 points respectively in the final frame. King James hit two threes early into the quarter, and a couple jump shots not long after, while Reaves was finding his way into the paint for a couple layup. Reaves had a three of his own in the last few minutes of the match, followed by his last two free throws of the game. LeBron ended the game and reached 40 points with a couple free throws as well.

The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 110-102. The Lakers now have a record of 33 wins and 21 losses, placing them at fifth in the Western Conference. The Trail Blazers are near the bottom of the Western Conference table at 13th, with a record of 23 wins and 33 losses.

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