LeBron James posted 21 points, 13 assists, and 12 rebounds for his second triple-double of the season, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 116-106 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
Anthony Davis scored 31 points, Austin Reaves added 20, and D’Angelo Russell contributed 18 off the bench. The Lakers remained perfect at home this season, bouncing back from a 1-4 road trip.
James recorded his 114th career triple-double early in the fourth quarter.
For the 76ers, Paul George managed just nine points as they fell to 1-7 on the season, missing two of their top three players. Rookie Jared McCain led Philadelphia with 18 points, but the loss marked their fifth consecutive defeat.
Former league MVP Joel Embiid served the second game of his three-game suspension for shoving a reporter, while All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey missed his first game with the hamstring injury that will sideline him for at least two weeks.
Bronny James played the final 1:28.
76ers: Winning without Embiid and Maxey seems awfully difficult, and the Sixers couldn’t play enough defense to stay competitive.
Lakers: Cam Reddish replaced Russell in the starting lineup, and rookie coach JJ Redick’s strategy appeared to work. The mercurial Russell played comfortably and aggressively as a reserve.
Philadelphia erased an early 13-point deficit shortly before halftime, but the Lakers made an 8-0 run into the break and a 10-0 surge shortly after it to take charge.
The 39-year-old James has seven triple-doubles since he passed Tim Duncan one year ago to become the second-oldest player in NBA history to accomplish the feat. Karl Malone was 40 years and 127 days old when he became the oldest player with a triple-double in November 2003.
The Lakers host Toronto on Sunday night. The 76ers return home to face Charlotte on Sunday night.
