LeBron James and Luka Doncic return and lead Lakers past 76ers
PHILADELPHIA — LeBron James had to send this message.
He still sits on his throne.
The Lakers superstar scored 10 straight points late in the fourth quarter to seal a 112-108 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, helping the Lakers (17-6) secure two wins on their tough three-game road trip.
Lakers star LeBron James dunks in front of Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, left, during the first half on Sunday.
(Chris Szagola/Associated Press)
After knocking down a 20-foot fadeaway over Quentin Grimes, James held both hands low to the ground, signaling “too small,” before placing an imaginary crown on his head and punctuating it with his silent celebration. James, who sat out the Lakers’ final game in Boston because of sciatica and arthritis in his left foot joint, finished with 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists, including 12 points in the fourth quarter to hold off the 76ers. Philadelphia (16-7) came back from a 10-point deficit in the third quarter and tied the score with 1:28 remaining on a Joel Embiid shot.
Luka Doncic returned from a two-game absence to record a triple-double of 31 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists. Now the father of two daughters, Doncic joined the team in Philadelphia on Saturday after he and his fiancée welcomed their second child, Olivia.
Despite traveling from Slovenia, Doncic didn’t miss a beat on Sunday. He scored five of the Lakers’ first seven points and had the most shot attempts among all Lakers. With 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in the first quarter, Doncic was already flirting with a triple-double after 12 minutes.
The Lakers erased a 10-point deficit in the first quarter only to find themselves down 10 again in the second. After Austin Reaves hit a corner three — just his second field goal after missing his first eight attempts from the field — to bring the Lakers within two points, the 76ers responded with a 10-2 run that cut their lead to 10 with 38.9 seconds left in the half.
Reaves, who averaged 41 points per game without Doncic, had just 11. Deandre Ayton had 14 points and 12 rebounds.
