After their disappointing loss on Saturday to the struggling Washington Wizards, the Los Angeles Lakers looked ripe for a loss against the young and strong Cleveland Cavaliers.
Instead, L.A. put forth a wonderful performance and claimed a big win against one of the NBA’s fourth-ranked defense.
LeBron James, in his annual visit to his former him court and native Northeast Ohio, had another huge game, while several of his teammates also played very well to give the Lakers a 131-120 victory.
L.A. didn’t play well defensively, but they outrebounded the Cavs, had 34 assists against just eight turnovers while running for 22 fast break points. They did, however, lock down Cleveland down the stretch, holding it to just 23 points in the fourth quarter.
With two wins in their last three games, the Lakers are looking to remain in the picture for the play-in tournament. With the New Orleans Pelicans losing to the Charlotte Hornets, L.A. is now a full game ahead of them for the ninth spot in the Western Conference.
