LeBron James’ triple-double lifts Lakers over Pelicans

NEW ORLEANS – LeBron James closed out his 21st NBA regular season looking invigorated, formidable on both ends of the court, and ready to produce in the postseason.

James had 28 points, 17 assists, 11 rebounds, and five steals, and the Los Angeles Lakers claimed the eighth seed in the Western Conference with a 124-108 victory over New Orleans on Sunday that dropped the Pelicans out of a coveted top-six seeding.

“I just want to win. So, whatever the game presents itself for me to be,” said James, who also serves as a primary defender on Pelicans star power forward Zion Williamson. “I am a Swiss army knife. I’ve got to do it all on the floor, but none of it is predetermined.”

Anthony Davis had 30 points and 11 rebounds against the team that made him the first overall NBA draft choice in 2012 to help set up a rematch on Tuesday night in the same arena in the conference play-in.

Davis, who asked out of the game in the final minutes and walked gingerly back to the locker room holding his lower back, said his back “locked up” when he was shoved from behind while in the air, but added that his ailment was “nothing concerning.”

“There’s no doubt that I’m going to play” in Tuesday’s play-in game, Davis said. “Get some massages, get some treatment, just keep it loose. Just see how I feel over the next 36 hours and be ready.”

James’ triple-double was his fifth this season and his playmaking helped spearhead a dominant performance in the paint, where Los Angeles outscored New Orleans 68-42.

“They got whatever they wanted in the paint,” Williamson said. “They dominated us in the paint.

James said he set out to “read the game and just find my teammates.” /