The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 116-106 on Friday night, improving their perfect home record to 4-0.
LeBron James led the way with a triple-double performance of 21 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds. This marks his second triple-double of the season and the 114th of his career.
Anthony Davis played a crucial role in the win, scoring 31 points and grabbing nine rebounds. Austin Reaves added 20 points, and D’Angelo Russell chipped in 18 off the bench. The Lakers’ all-around effort proved too much for a short-handed 76ers squad.
Philadelphia, struggling with a 1-7 record, was without two key players. Joel Embiid served the second game of his suspension, while Tyrese Maxey missed the game due to a hamstring injury.
Rookie Jared McCain led the 76ers with 18 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Lakers’ offensive firepower.
Despite missing two of their top stars, the 76ers managed to rally late in the first half, cutting a 13-point deficit to just one. However, the Lakers responded with an 8-0 run to end the half and carried that momentum into the second half with a 10-0 run after the break.
The Lakers’ offense, which shot 51.8% from the field and 45.7% from three, outclassed the 76ers, who struggled with their shooting (40.6% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc).
The game marked another important milestone for LeBron James, who continues to defy age and expectations. At 39 years old, James has now recorded seven triple-doubles since passing Tim Duncan as the second-oldest player in NBA history to accomplish the feat.
The 76ers’ defense also failed to slow down the Lakers’ high-scoring offense. Despite decent individual performances from players like Caleb Martin (13 points) and Andre Drummond (14 points, 12 rebounds), the team couldn’t find enough consistency to challenge Los Angeles.
