The Cleveland Cavaliers improved their NBA-best record to 29-4 with a 122-110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.
Lakers coach JJ Redick was certainly impressed by what he saw from the Cavs, who have won eight straight games and 12 of their last 13. He told reporters after the game that “almost perfect basketball“Must play to beat Cleveland this season.
JJ Redick says you have to play “close to perfect basketball” if you hope to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers this season.
– Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 1, 2025
Jarrett Allen scored 27 points with 14 rebounds and three blocks against a Lakers frontcourt that could probably use some help alongside Anthony Davis. Evan Mobley added 20 points and six rebounds.
In the defensive zone, Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points (shooting 6 of 13 on three-pointers) with four rebounds and four assists, followed by Darius Garland’s 14 points and 14 points. In his best game since returning from a right ankle injury, Max Strus scored 15 points and was 4 of 8 on 3-pointers.
The Lakers may not have played perfect basketball against the Cavs, but they did cut Cleveland’s lead to 112-107 on LeBron James’ 3-pointer with 2:50 left in the fourth quarter. However, the Cavaliers closed the game from there on a 10-3 run.
Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 35 points (tying his career high), nine assists and 10 rebounds, going 12 of 13 from the free throw line. Davis scored 28 and grabbed 13 rebounds with four assists, three steals and two blocks. And in his first game since turning 40 on Monday, James had 23 points with four rebounds and seven assists against his former team.
James became the first NBA player to appear in a game as a teenager and 40-year-old. according to the associated press.
In his debut with the Lakers, Dorian Finney-Smith scored two points, achieving a dunk after a miss by Davis in the first quarter. Shake Milton, also part of the trade that sent D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets, contributed six points.
With the loss, the Lakers fall to 18-14 and sit in seventh place in the Western Conference. Next Thursday they will host the Portland Trail Blazers. The Cavaliers finish their road trip with a matchup on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks.