NBA: LeBron James scores career-high three as Los Angeles Lakers sink Brooklyn Nets 116-104

LeBron James tied a season high with 40 points and matched a career high by making nine 3-pointers as the Los Angeles Lakers built a big lead and never trailed in a 116-104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night in New York. York.

The Lakers (42-33) won for the sixth time in seven games and bounced back nicely after being held to 90 points in Friday’s 19-point loss to Indiana.

James notched his third 40-point game of the season by shooting 13 of 17 from the floor. He went 9 for 10 from 3-point range.

Anthony Davis added 24 points and 14 rebounds as the ninth-place Lakers moved a game and a half ahead of the Warriors in the Western Conference. Golden State beat the San Antonio Spurs 117-113 on Sunday.

Rui Hachimura provided 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who shot 54.5 percent from the floor. D’Angelo Russell contributed 18 points and Austin Reaves scored 12 as the Lakers got 114 points from their starters.

Cam Thomas tried to keep pace with James by scoring 30 points, but the Nets (29-46) saw their three-game winning streak end. Trendon Watford added 15 points and Dennis Schroder finished with 14 as the Nets shot 42.4 percent overall and 33.3 percent (12 for 36) from beyond the arc after making 25 shots from three on Friday against the Chicago Bulls.

The Nets missed their first 11 shots and the Lakers took a 17-0 lead on a Reaves layup with 6:04 left in the first quarter. After Brooklyn scored its first points with 5:39 remaining, the Lakers led by 24 late in the period and took a 31-11 lead into the second quarter.

Brooklyn trailed by 12 after Mikal Bridges hit a 3 with 6:26 left in the second half, but the Lakers finished the first half with a 20-9 run for a 67-44 lead at the break .

Los Angeles took a trio of 26-point leads early in the third, but by the end of the quarter the Nets had cut the deficit to 90-79 on a Thomas four-point play and a Watford putback in the final 31.5. seconds.

James made his eighth triple by falling out of bounds into the lap of a fan in the front row for a 108-91 lead with 7:14 to play, and his ninth 3 pushed the advantage to 111-93 down of one minute. later.