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The Los Angeles Lakers kept themselves in striking position against the Cleveland Cavaliers but couldn’t put together a win in a 121-112 loss. The purple and gold did a good job of competing all night, but another night of clanking three-pointers off the rim never allowed the Lakers to pull away after controlling the game through one quarter.
LeBron James notched the 59th triple-double of his career, matching Larry Bird on the all-time list. James piled on 25 points, 12 assists and 12 rebounds, looking everything bit like the player that’s led the Cavaliers to win 16 of their last 17 outings. Just another day for LeBron, of course.
The Lakers’ duo of No. 2 picks did a great job of showcasing what they’re about, which surely left the front office thrilled. Brandon Ingram led the Lakers in scoring with 26 points, draining three of his four three-point attempts. He also dished out six dimes and grabbed six rebounds.
Lonzo Ball flirted with a triple-double but would end the night with 13 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. Kyle Kuzma added in 20 off the bench, another bonus to the Lakers looking strong in Cleveland.
Three-point shooting swung big in the Cavaliers’ favor, which was a big difference maker in a close game. The Lakers made just nine of their 31 attempts as a team (29%), while Cleveland drained 15 threes on 41.7 percent shooting from deep.
Kevin Love (4-of-6 3P) led all scorers with 27 points, while Jose Calderon was locked in for five three-point makes of his own. His revenge game was no joke.
The Lakers split their four-game road trip down the middle, winning their first two games and losing their final two. They’ll get to head back home and recuperate for a few days before the Golden State Warriors come to town.
Oh, and Kobe Bryant’s jerseys are going up in the rafters when we next see this team on the court. Buckle up and prepare yourselves for a big start to next week!