LeBron James stats tonight: How did the Lakers superstar fare vs Magic? (Nov. 21)
LeBron James' 31 points were not enough as the Orlando Magic edged past the LA Lakers to snap their 7-0 unbeaten streak at home. The loss also ended the Lakers' six-game winning streak. Franz Wagner's clutch 3 saw a dagger in LA's hearts as they lost 119-1198 at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday.
James ended with 31 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists after playing 37 minutes. He shot 12-of-22 from the field and 5-of-9 from beyond the arc to put the Lakers in commanding positions. However, a scrappy Orlando unit kept coming back to eventually clinch the contest.
Earlier, he was off to a fast start for the LA Lakers as they carved out a 67-60 lead at halftime. The four-time NBA champion was key in helping the Purple and Gold establish a 38-36 lead to end the first quarter. The veteran forward set the tone for LA in the second quarter with an emphatic dunk. At the end of halftime, LeBron James had propped up 12 points, four rebounds and three assists in his 15:23 minutes on the floor.
As for the other key performers, Anthony Davis ended with 39 points and nine rebounds while Dalton Knecht had 17 points. For Orlando, Wagner had 37 points and 11 assists while Jalen Suggs had 23 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Watch: LeBron James' accurate long-range dish to Anthony Davis sends Crypto.com Arena into a tizzy
A full-court pass from LeBron James to Anthony Davis had the entire Crypto.com Arena in a frenzy. It was in the fourth quarter when James grabbed a rebound and lobbed it to the center at the other end of the floor, resulting in a bucket.
James was seen celebrating as the rest of the Lakers players surrounded him to celebrate. The Lakers were in a winning position, but with both James and Davis missing clutch free throws, the outcome swung in Orlando's favor with Wagne's heroics sealing the game for the Magic.
Up next, the Lakers will hope to bounce back when they face the Denver Nuggets at home on Saturday. The Nuggets have been LA's kryptonite for the last couple of seasons, handing them a first-round exit of the 2024 NBA playoffs and a 4-0 drubbing in the 2023 Western Conference finals. These exits will be weighing on LeBron James' mind as the side looks to shrug off the stinging loss to their familiar foes.