Cavaliers beat Lakers 122-110 for 8th straight win and spoil LeBron's first game since turning 40
LOS ANGELES (AP) Jarrett Allen scored a season-high 27 points, Donovan Mitchell added 26 and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their eighth straight, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 122-110 Wednesday night and spoiling LeBron James' first game after turning 40.
James, who celebrated his birthday on Monday, scored 23 points as he became the first player in NBA history to appear in a game in his teens and 40s. Coincidentally, the milestone game came against the team that drafted James first overall in 2020 and where he spent 12 seasons in two stints.
The Akron, Ohio, native helped lead the Cavaliers to their first NBA championship in 2016.
Evan Mobley added 20 points for Cleveland, which enters the new year with an NBA-best 29-4 record, including a 9-0 against the Western Conference.
Austin Reaves had a season-high 35 points with 10 assists and nine rebounds for the Lakers. Anthony Davis added 28 points and 13 rebounds.
Los Angeles goes into 2025 with an 18-14 mark, seventh in the Western Conference.
Cavaliers: Sam Merrill sprained his right ankle during the second quarter and did not return. Darius Garland had a season-high 14 assists.
Lakers: Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton made their Los Angeles debuts after being acquired in a trade with Brooklyn on Monday. Milton scored six points and Finney-Smith two.
Cleveland led 96-80 less than three minutes into the fourth quarter before Los Angeles started to rally. The Lakers got within 112-107 before the Cavaliers closed the game on a 10-3 run. Allen's dunk with 1:58 remaining gave Cleveland a 116-107 advantage, putting it out of reach.
The Cavaliers made 18 3-pointers, the seventh straight game they have had at least that many from beyond the arc.
The Cavaliers wrap up their road trip at Dallas on Friday, while the Lakers host Portland on Thursday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Jarrett Allen vs. Anthony Davis (Evan Mobley gains possession) | ||
| 11:39 |  | +2 | Evan Mobley makes two point driving finger roll layup | 2-0 |
| 11:17 | | Anthony Davis misses two point stepback jump shot | ||
| 11:15 | | Lakers offensive rebound | ||
| 11:14 | | Evan Mobley shooting foul (Anthony Davis draws the foul) | ||
| 11:14 | | +1 | Anthony Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 2-1 |
| 11:14 | | +1 | Anthony Davis makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 2-2 |
| 11:03 | | +3 | Donovan Mitchell makes three point jump shot (Darius Garland assists) | 5-2 |
| 10:48 | | LeBron James misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:45 | | Jarrett Allen defensive rebound | ||
| 10:24 | | +3 | Evan Mobley makes three point jump shot (Dean Wade assists) | 8-2 |
| 10:15 | | +2 | LeBron James makes two point layup (Austin Reaves assists) | 8-4 |
| 9:59 | | Rui Hachimura shooting foul (Donovan Mitchell draws the foul) | ||
| 9:59 | | Donovan Mitchell misses regular free throw 1 of 3 | ||
| 9:59 | | Cavaliers offensive rebound | ||
| 9:59 | | +1 | Donovan Mitchell makes regular free throw 2 of 3 | 9-4 |
| 9:59 | | +1 | Donovan Mitchell makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 10-4 |
| 9:45 | | +3 | LeBron James makes three point jump shot (Anthony Davis assists) | 10-7 |
| 9:35 | | +2 | Darius Garland makes two point driving floating bank jump shot | 12-7 |
| 9:26 | | LeBron James turnover (bad pass) (Jarrett Allen steals) | ||
| 9:22 | | Donovan Mitchell misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 9:15 | | Jarrett Allen offensive rebound | ||
| 9:15 | | Jarrett Allen misses two point tip layup | ||
| 9:14 | | Austin Reaves defensive rebound | ||
| 9:08 | | Darius Garland blocks Austin Reaves's two point running layup | ||
| 9:08 | | Darius Garland defensive rebound | ||
| 9:05 | | Max Christie shooting foul (Donovan Mitchell draws the foul) | ||
| 9:05 | | +1 | Donovan Mitchell makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 13-7 |
| 9:05 | | +1 | Donovan Mitchell makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 14-7 |
| 8:50 | | Dean Wade personal foul (Rui Hachimura draws the foul) | ||
| 8:43 | | +2 | Anthony Davis makes two point driving layup | 14-9 |
| 8:30 | | +2 | Jarrett Allen makes two point turnaround hook shot (Darius Garland assists) | 16-9 |
| 8:19 | | +3 | LeBron James makes three point pullup jump shot | 16-12 |
| 8:07 | | Dean Wade misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:04 | | Austin Reaves defensive rebound | ||
| 8:01 | | Austin Reaves turnover (bad pass) (Evan Mobley steals) | ||
| 7:56 | | Donovan Mitchell misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 7:52 | | Donovan Mitchell offensive rebound | ||
| 7:45 | | +2 | Evan Mobley makes two point turnaround hook shot (Donovan Mitchell assists) | 18-12 |
| 7:23 | | Rui Hachimura turnover (bad pass) (Darius Garland steals) | ||
| 7:19 | | Darius Garland misses three point running pullup jump shot | ||
| 7:17 | | Anthony Davis defensive rebound | ||
| 7:11 | | Rui Hachimura misses two point driving finger roll layup | ||
| 7:09 | | Rui Hachimura offensive rebound | ||
| 7:09 | | Jarrett Allen blocks Rui Hachimura's two point putback layup | ||
| 7:07 | | Dean Wade defensive rebound | ||
| 7:03 | | Donovan Mitchell misses two point running layup | ||
| 6:58 | | Dean Wade offensive rebound | ||
| 6:52 | | +2 | Dean Wade makes two point driving layup (Donovan Mitchell assists) | 20-12 |
| 6:52 | | Anthony Davis shooting foul (Dean Wade draws the foul) | ||
| 6:52 | | Lakers 60 second timeout | ||
| 6:52 | | +1 | Dean Wade makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 21-12 |
| 6:40 | | +2 | Anthony Davis makes two point cutting dunk (Max Christie assists) | 21-14 |
| 6:21 | | Dorian Finney-Smith shooting foul (Jarrett Allen draws the foul) | ||
| 6:21 | | +1 | Jarrett Allen makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 22-14 |
| 6:21 | | +1 | Jarrett Allen makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 23-14 |
| 6:09 | | Max Strus kicked ball violation | ||
| 5:56 | | Austin Reaves misses two point driving layup | ||
| 5:55 | | Austin Reaves offensive rebound | ||
| 5:55 | | Austin Reaves misses two point tip layup | ||
| 5:55 | | Lakers offensive rebound | ||
| 5:54 | | Lakers turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 5:46 | | Caris LeVert misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:43 | | Austin Reaves defensive rebound | ||
| 5:43 | | Austin Reaves turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 5:38 | | +3 | Max Strus makes three point jump shot (Jarrett Allen assists) | 26-14 |
| 5:38 | | Austin Reaves shooting foul (Max Strus draws the foul) | ||
| 5:38 | | +1 | Max Strus makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 27-14 |
| 5:21 | | Austin Reaves turnover (bad pass) (Caris LeVert steals) | ||
| 5:19 | | Austin Reaves shooting foul (Darius Garland draws the foul) | ||
| 5:19 | | +1 | Darius Garland makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 28-14 |
| 5:19 | | +1 | Darius Garland makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 29-14 |
| 5:00 | | +2 | Austin Reaves makes two point driving floating jump shot (Max Christie assists) | 29-16 |
| 4:45 | | Darius Garland misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 4:43 | | Anthony Davis defensive rebound | ||
| 4:35 | | Dalton Knecht misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 4:33 | | Lakers offensive rebound | ||
| 4:24 | | Anthony Davis misses two point floating jump shot | ||
| 4:20 | | Dorian Finney-Smith offensive rebound | ||
| 4:20 | | +2 | Dorian Finney-Smith makes two point tip dunk | 29-18 |
| 4:18 | | Caris LeVert turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | ||
| 3:58 | | Max Strus shooting foul (Austin Reaves draws the foul) | ||
| 3:58 | | +1 | Austin Reaves makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 29-19 |
| 3:58 | | +1 | Austin Reaves makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 29-20 |
| 3:42 | | +2 | Evan Mobley makes two point cutting layup (Max Strus assists) | 31-20 |
| 3:23 | | Caris LeVert personal foul (Anthony Davis draws the foul) | ||
| 3:16 | | +2 | Austin Reaves makes two point driving floating jump shot | 31-22 |
| 3:06 | | Evan Mobley misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:03 | | Anthony Davis defensive rebound | ||
| 2:56 | | +2 | Austin Reaves makes two point driving layup | 31-24 |
| 2:44 | | Donovan Mitchell misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 2:42 | | Anthony Davis defensive rebound | ||
| 2:35 | | Dorian Finney-Smith misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:32 | | Lakers offensive rebound | ||
| 2:32 | | Caris LeVert personal foul (Loose ball) (Austin Reaves draws the foul) | ||
| 2:32 | | Cavaliers 60 second timeout | ||
| 2:32 | | +1 | Austin Reaves makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 31-25 |
| 2:32 | | Austin Reaves misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 2:30 | | Evan Mobley defensive rebound | ||
| 2:17 | | Evan Mobley turnover (out of bounds lost ball) | ||
| 2:02 | | Anthony Davis misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 2:00 | | Dalton Knecht offensive rebound | ||
| 1:57 | | +3 | Shake Milton makes three point jump shot (Dalton Knecht assists) | 31-28 |
| 1:36 | | Donovan Mitchell turnover (lost ball) (Anthony Davis steals) | ||
| 1:32 | | LeBron James turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 1:16 | | Evan Mobley misses two point turnaround hook shot | ||
| 1:13 | | Shake Milton defensive rebound | ||
| 1:07 | | Rui Hachimura misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 1:04 | | Max Strus defensive rebound | ||
| 0:56 | | +2 | Donovan Mitchell makes two point stepback jump shot | 33-28 |
| 0:34 | | +2 | LeBron James makes two point driving floating bank jump shot | 33-30 |
| 0:23 | | LeBron James personal foul (Georges Niang draws the foul) | ||
| 0:23 | | Georges Niang misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 0:23 | | Cavaliers offensive rebound | ||
| 0:23 | | +1 | Georges Niang makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 34-30 |
| 0:01 | | LeBron James misses two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 0:01 | | Dean Wade defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:50 | | Dorian Finney-Smith misses two point alley-oop layup | ||
| 11:50 | | Dorian Finney-Smith offensive rebound | ||
| 11:37 | | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point driving floating jump shot | 34-32 |
| 11:21 | | LeBron James blocks Donovan Mitchell's two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 11:19 | | Rui Hachimura defensive rebound | ||
| 11:02 | | Max Strus blocks LeBron James's two point driving layup | ||
| 11:02 | | Cavaliers defensive rebound | ||
| 10:46 | | Max Strus misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:44 | | LeBron James defensive rebound | ||
| 10:41 | | LeBron James misses two point running layup | ||
| 10:39 | | Evan Mobley defensive rebound | ||
| 10:33 | | +2 | Georges Niang makes two point cutting finger roll layup (Max Strus assists) | 36-32 |
| 10:23 | | Cam Reddish misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:19 | | Donovan Mitchell defensive rebound | ||
| 10:07 | | Georges Niang misses two point driving bank hook shot | ||
| 10:07 | | Shake Milton defensive rebound | ||
| 9:45 | | LeBron James misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 9:41 | | Rui Hachimura offensive rebound | ||
| 9:41 | | Rui Hachimura misses two point putback layup | ||
| 9:40 | | Max Strus defensive rebound | ||
| 9:26 | | Evan Mobley misses two point driving layup | ||
| 9:23 | | Cam Reddish defensive rebound | ||
| 9:17 | | Sam Merrill shooting foul (Rui Hachimura draws the foul) | ||
| 9:17 | | Rui Hachimura misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 9:17 | | Lakers offensive rebound | ||
| 9:17 | | +1 | Rui Hachimura makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 36-33 |
| 9:05 | | +3 | Donovan Mitchell makes three point jump shot (Ty Jerome assists) | 39-33 |
| 8:40 | |