LeBron James delivered in the final minute and Luka Doncic recorded another triple-double as the Los Angeles Lakers edged the Philadelphia 76ers 112-108 on Sunday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
James drilled a go-ahead three with 1:12 left, breaking a 105-all tie after Joel Embiid briefly pulled Philadelphia even with an 18-footer.
James then connected on a mid-range jumper on the next trip, pushing the margin to 110-105 and securing Los Angeles’ third straight win.
Doncic finished with 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists, returning from a two-game absence following the birth of his daughter in Slovenia.
James closed with 29 points on 12-for-17 shooting, reaching double figures in the second quarter after his record streak of 1,297 such games ended Thursday in Toronto.
The 40-year-old forward added seven rebounds and six assists in his first game back from sciatica and left foot joint arthritis.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 28 points while Embiid struggled from the field, shooting 4-for-21 and finishing with 16 points and seven boards.
Embiid, playing through recurring knee soreness, missed 10 of his first 11 attempts but stayed aggressive at the foul line, going 6-for-6 before halftime.
The Lakers shot 48% overall and outscored the Sixers 34-24 in the third quarter behind timely scoring from Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton, who combined for 31 points.
Ayton went a perfect 7-for-7 from the field and grabbed 12 rebounds, helping Los Angeles control the interior against Embiid and Andre Drummond.
Philadelphia attempted 102 shots but converted only 35%, with the Lakers’ late-game execution proving decisive.
Maxey kept the hosts competitive with five made threes, while rookie VJ Edgecombe added 15 points in 38 minutes.
Paul George scored 12 points but took only eight shots as the Sixers fell to 13-10.
Austin Reaves contributed 11 points, four assists and steady perimeter defense for Los Angeles, which improved to 17-6 and moved to 8-3 away from home.
The Lakers also received bench support from Jake LaRavia and Jaxson Hayes, whose combined rebounding helped offset Philadelphia’s 54-52 edge on the glass.
James energized the crowd early with a first-half dunk and later met Embiid at the rim, though the Sixers’ center returned the favor with a block before halftime.
Despite Philadelphia cutting several deficits to single digits, the Lakers committed only 10 turnovers and closed the game with a 7-3 spurt.
Los Angeles hosts San Antonio on Wednesday in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. Philadelphia returns home Friday to face Indiana.
