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Stefan Tonev
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Lakers beat Bucks in thriller, James overtakes Johnson
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Anthony Davis scored a season-high 44 points, Lakers coach Darvin Ham with a triumphant return to Milwaukee

LeBron James overtook Magic Johnson on the NBA’s career assists list, helping the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 133-129 on Friday night.

James scored 28 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds, improved his career assist total to 10,144 and moved into sixth place on the list, ahead of Johnson (10,133).

“It means a lot, obviously,” James said after his 900th career win. “What’s even more humbling and super-duper cool is the fact that I’m doing it in a Laker uniform and knowing how much Magic means to the Laker franchise.”

Anthony Davis finished with a season-high 44 points in the thriller, which marked Lakers coach Darvin Ham a triumphant return to Milwaukee.

“I saw him before the game and he said, ‘I need 30 tonight,” Davis said. “I just saw him and he said, ‘I only said 30, not 40. It’s always good for him to come out and watch the Lakers play.”

Ham was part of Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer’s staff from 2018-22, and the former colleagues shared a big hug before the game.

“It was a beautiful night,” said Ham, who also played for the Bucks from 1999-2002.

The Lakers withstood a 40-point night from Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, who also had seven rebounds and five assists.

The Los Angeles also spoiled the season debut of Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton, who had 17 points and seven assists in his return from offseason wrist surgery.