James, Lakers top Bucks to open trip

MILWAUKEE — LeBron James says the results of last season’s NBA awards voting didn’t provide extra motivation as his Los Angeles Lakers prepared to face Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.

He had more important things on his mind.

James scored a season-high 34 points in the opener of a seven-game road trip, helping the Lakers beat the Bucks 113-106 on Thursday. He finished second to Antetokounmpo in last year’s MVP balloting.

“It’s never been about individual (honors),” said James, a four-time MVP. “It’s all about the team success. That’s all that matters. ... I just want to play well and help our team versus any opponent. That’s what it’s all about.”

Los Angeles (12-4) bounced back after blowing a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter of a 115-113 loss to Golden State on Monday night.

This game pitted the reigning NBA champion Lakers against a Bucks team that posted the league’s best regular-season record each of the last two years.

It was the first time the Lakers had faced the Bucks since the 2019-20 awards voting, which also had Antetokounmpo finishing just ahead of Los Angeles’ Anthony Davis in the voting for defensive player of the year.

“That was last season, obviously,” said Davis, who had 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists. “No one brought that up or talked about it. Our motivation was not losing two in a row tonight.”

The Lakers shot 19 of 37 from 3-point range, with James 6 of 10 and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope making 7 of 10. Caldwell-Pope had 23 points.