LeBron’s triple-double lifts Lakers
LOS ANGELES: LeBron James had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to record his first tripledouble with his new team, and the Los Angeles Lakers knocked the visiting Denver Nuggets from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 121-114 victory on Thursday.
It was the Lakers’ first victory at home this season. Los Angeles earned its first win overall on Wednesday at Phoenix.
The Lakers went on a 19-4 run late in the fourth quarter, capped by two Kyle Kuzma dunks to take control of the game.
Kuzma scored 22 points, while JaVale McGee added 21. McGee recorded back-to-back games of at least 20 points for the first time since 2012 with the Washington Wizards.
Nikola Jokic scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, who fell to 4-1. Denver was aiming for its first 5-0 start since the 2009-10 season. Jamal Murray scored 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds, and Monte Morris added 20 off the bench for the Nuggets.
Celtics 101, Thunder 95 Marcus Morris’ tiebreaking 3pointer with 28.7 seconds left lifted Boston over the host Oklahoma City, punctuating a 16-1 run by the Celtics over the final 4:14.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 24 points while Morris added 21 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Al Horford had 19 points and nine boards, and Kyrie Irving scored 15 points.
Paul George led the Thunder with 22 points but was just 7 of 22 from the field and 2 of 10 from behind the 3-point arc. Russell Westbrook contributed 13 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists, but he hit just 5 of 20 field-goal attempts, including 0 of 5 from 3-point range. Oklahoma City fell to 0-4 for the first time since the franchise moved from Seattle.
Trail Blazers 128, Magic 114 Damian Lillard scored a season-high 41 points, including 19 in the third quarter, and Portland kicked off its first road trip of the season with a win over Orlando.
CJ McCollum added 22 points for the Trail Blazers, and Jusuf Nurkic had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Zach Collins came off the bench for 17 points.
Nikola Vucevic paced the Magic with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Terrence Ross scored 21 points, Evan Fournier had 17, and Aaron Gordon produced just two points in the first half but finished with 17. Orlando never led in the game.
Pistons 110, Cavaliers 103 Andre Drummond powered for 26 points and 22 rebounds as host Detroit remained unbeaten through four games with a victory over winless Cleveland.
Drummond notched his 22nd career 20-20 game and second this season. Blake Griffin, who scored a career-high 50 points in an overtime win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, supplied 26 points and 10 rebounds. Reggie Jackson contributed 16 points, and Ish Smith chipped in 10 for the Pistons.
Kyle Korver led the Cavaliers with 21 points, and Jordan Clarkson scored 18.