LeBron James scores 26 points to lead a balanced attack as the Lakers easily defeat the host Rockets.
The basketball court is everything to LeBron James. The 4,700 square feet of hardwood is the place where he ascended to iconic status, a place where he’s won championships and built a platform that’s allowed him to better the world.
And Tuesday night, he turned his back on it — if just for a second.
Standing in the corner where the sideline and baseline meet right in front of the Lakers’ bench, James calmly launched a shot, spinning around to face his teammates as soon as the ball left his hands. He didn’t watch it go in. Didn’t need to.
Swish.
The Lakers were so good they didn’t even have to watch all of their 117-100 win Tuesday in Houston. The Rockets weren’t so lucky.
The 6-0 road record to start the year is the best since for the Lakers since the 1984-85 season.
The no-look triple highlighted James’ best half of the season. He scored 22 of the Lakers’ 71-first half points, making four 3s while assisting on four other baskets.
It’s almost too bad that James’ highlight shot happened Tuesday, dwarfing what the Lakers’ defense accomplished in the first quarter, when it held the Rockets to just 14 points.
Just like they did in their win Sunday in Houston, the Lakers again stifled the Rockets at the rim and on the perimeter, grabbing 10 steals, blocking 12 shots and tipping a handful of more passes.
Anthony Davis finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks in only 29 minutes, a best-case scenario with the Lakers headed to Oklahoma City for a back-to-back today against the Thunder.
76ers 137, Heat 134 (OT): Joel Embiid had 45 points and 16 rebounds, Dakota Mathias’ only basket of the game was a go-ahead 3pointer with 26.1 seconds left and host Philadelphia hung on to beat Miami.
Nets 122, Nuggets 116: Kevin Durant had 34 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds, and Brooklyn rallied from 18 down to beat visiting Denver.
Spurs 112, Thunder 102: Lonnie Walker IV scored 24 points and San Antonio finished a five-game trip with four wins.
Jazz 117, Cavaliers 87: Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points and Utah rolled over injury-depleted Cleveland, wrapping up its six-game road trip.
Notable
With five games called off this week already and more teams dealing with virus-related issues, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association enacted additional rules Tuesday in the hope of keeping the season going safely.
For “at least the next two weeks,” players and team staff will have to remain at their residence when in their home markets and are prohibited from leaving their hotels when on the road — with exceptions primarily for practices and games.
Additional actions include a new rule prohibiting any pregame meetings in locker rooms from lasting more than 10 minutes; when those meetings take place everyone must wear a mask.
Players have been told to limit on-court interactions with fellow players.
The Nets and the NBA are looking into Irving’s actions after a video showed the point guard at an indoor family gathering while not wearing a mask.
The NBA fined Lakers forward Markieff Morris $35,000 and Rockets center DeMarcus Cousins $ 10,000 for their roles in an altercation Sunday night.