LeBron James Scores Season-High 43, Lakers Beat Trail Blazers
LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James scored a season-high 43 points and extended his streak of 30-point games to seven in the Los Angeles Lakers' 139-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.
Malik Monk scored 18 points, Carmelo Anthony added 16 points and Russell Westbrook (15 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists) recorded his ninth triple-double this season for the Lakers, who had dropped six of their last seven coming into the game.
Portland's Ben McLemore came off the bench to tie his season-high with 28 points in his first game back after clearing the league's health and safety protocols. Damian Lillard added 18 points for the Trail Blazers, who have dropped four straight and 11 of their last 13.
It is the fifth time in James' sensational 19-year career and first since he was with Miami Heat in February 2013 that he's had a streak of at least seven straight 30-point games. James' longest stretch is 10 with the Cleveland Cavaliers late in the 2005-06 season.
James — who also had 14 rebounds — was 16 of 26 from the field and made five 3-pointers in a game where there Lakers led throughout. He made his first four shots as Los Angeles ran out to a 19-6 lead a little more than four minutes in, then finished with 15 points in the first quarter and had a double-double in points and rebounds by the midway point of the second quarter.
The Lakers were up 69-54 at halftime on 27 points from James. Their largest lead was 35 in the game's final minute.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Portland had a season-high 21 offensive rebounds. ... McLemore's 16 points in the first quarter were a season-high for a player coming off the bench during the first 12 minutes of a game this season. ... Lillard hit a 3-pointer late in the second quarter to tie Paul Pierce ninth on the all-time NBA list with 2,143.
Lakers: Los Angeles made a season-high 19 3-pointers ... The 43 first-quarter points were a season high. ... With his second field goal of the night, Anthony passed Dominique Wilkins for 15th place on the NBA's all-time field goals made list.
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: Host Atlanta on Monday to begin a four-game homestand.
Lakers: Host Minnesota on Sunday.
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