Lakers down Portland to end losing streak
LOS ANGELES: LeBron James scored a team high 21 points and equalled his season best of 16 assists as the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a four game losing streak with a 128120 win over Portland.
“We just wanted to play well,” James said. “We just try to play the right way, sharing the ball on offence. Win, lose, or draw we did that tonight.”
James was a late addition to the lineup on Saturday because of a groin injury that has hampered his play of late. James said treatment for the injury includes plenty of ice packs.
“I am doing all right. I am playing on it. I let the ice take care of it’s business,” he said.
Kyle Kuzma scored a team-high 24 points and Anthony Davis added 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists in the win.
Coach Frank Vogel said the Lakers needed to clean up the mistakes that caused them to suffer their longest losing streak of the season.
“We got a win and we are all happy about it,” he said. “We made some adjustments to things that were hurting us the last couple of games.”
Damian Lillard recorded 31 points and nine assists for the Trail Blazers, who lost their third straight game.
Elsewhere, Kyle Lowry scored 30 points as the Toronto Raptors avenged a Christmas Day loss to Boston with a 113-97 rematch victory over the Celtics.
Serge Ibaka finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Raptors snapped a two-game losing skid which included a 118-102 loss to Boston on Wednesday, as the two Eastern Conference contenders were playing for the second time in less than 72 hours.
Patrick McCaw had 18 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, while a resurgent Fred VanVleet also scored 18 points in the win for the defending NBA champs. Lowry also had seven assists in front of the crowd of 19,100 at the Boston Garden arena.
“It didn’t sit well with me on Christmas Day,” McCaw said. “We definitely didn’t give it our best effort and I think tonight guys took it personally. It wasn’t talked about. Guys just went out and gave it their all.”
Kemba Walker scored 30 points for the Celtics, who had their fivegame winning streak halted.
Also, Luka Doncic tallied 31 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 141-121 victory over the hapless Golden State Warriors.
The triple-double was the ninth of the season for Doncic and ties the franchise record set by Jason Kidd in 1995-96. Doncic also made five three-pointers as Dallas set a franchise record by making 24 from behind the arc. The old mark of 22 took place three times.
Tim Hardaway made six three-pointers and scored 25 points and Kristaps Porzingis made four three pointers while adding 18 points as the Mavericks won for the 15th time in the last 20 games.
D’Angelo Russell scored a game high 35 points in the loss.
In New Orleans, Brandon Ingram scored 24 points, and a half dozen teammates also scored in double figures as the New Orleans Pelicans cruised past the Indiana Pacers 12098.
Jrue Holiday added 20 points, JJ Redick scored 15 and E’Twaun Moore and Josh Hart came off the bench to score 11 each for the Pelicans.
Jrue, Justin, and Aaron Holiday became the first trio of brothers to play in a NBA game when Justin checked in for the Pacers with 5:13 left in the first quarter. Jrue started for New Orleans and Aaron started for Indiana.
“It was cool,” Jrue said. “What happened was Justin was about to come in and (coach) was about take me out. I told him no I was staying in just because of the moment like that.”
Due to the age difference between the brothers – Justin is 30, while Aaron is 23 – the three have never played in the same game before, even as children.