NBA: LeBron James scores 25 as Lakers cruise past Nets

NEW YORK – LeBron James scored 25 points and handed out seven assists as the Los Angeles Lakers dominated early and cruised to a 125-109 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night, closing out an eight-game road trip on a high note.

James was efficient, making 10 of 16 shots, including two thunderous dunks in the first half. He also grabbed three rebounds and contributed three of the Lakers’ 14 steals. In his final minutes on the court, fans chanted “We Want Bronny,” hoping to see LeBron’s son, Bronny James, enter the game. Bronny played the final 4:36 and drew loud cheers from the pro-Lakers crowd with two baskets.

Luka Doncic added 24 points on 8-of-18 shooting, along with five assists and six rebounds, sitting out the fourth quarter after logging 29 minutes. Jake LaRavia scored 18 points, while Austin Reaves added 15 in his return from a 19-game absence due to a sprained left ankle.

The Lakers went 5-3 on the road trip, which was scheduled because the Grammy Awards temporarily displaced them from their home arena. They recorded their second lopsided win of the trip, shooting 54.1% from the field and scoring 66 points in the paint, despite going 7 of 31 from three-point range.

For the Nets, Michael Porter Jr. led with 21 points and 10 rebounds but missed all nine three-point attempts, going 7 of 18 overall. Day’Ron Sharpe added 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Ziaire Williams scored 17. Brooklyn, which lost for the 17th time in 20 games, only led in the opening two minutes and scored 69 points in the second half to make the final score more respectable. The Nets shot 47.9% but missed 31 of 41 from beyond the arc and gave up 23 points off 20 turnovers.

The Lakers set the tone early, with Doncic scoring 14 points in the first quarter as Los Angeles shot 83.3% (15 of 18) to open a 45-23 lead. The team extended its advantage to 36 points on Marcus Smart’s jumper and led 69-40 by halftime. Doncic’s step-back three-pointer in the third quarter pushed the lead to 83-44, and the Lakers maintained control the rest of the way, with James leaving the game with 8:08 remaining in the third while the team held an 89-55 advantage. Los Angeles led 111-83 when James checked out for the night with just over eight minutes left.

The Lakers’ early dominance and balanced scoring made the difference, giving them a strong finish to a challenging road stretch.

—Field Level Media/Reuters