LeBron scores 40 points and 9 three-pointers for 116-104 Nets win

LeBron James equaled his season best with 40 points and matched a personal record by sinking nine 3-pointers as the Los Angeles Lakers surged to a commanding lead and maintained control throughout a 116-104 triumph over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night in New York.

The Lakers (42-33) secured their sixth win in seven games, bouncing back impressively from a disappointing 90-point outing in Friday’s 19-point defeat against the Indiana Pacers.

James achieved his third 40-point performance of the season with a remarkable 13-for-17 shooting from the field, including a scorching 9-for-10 from beyond the arc. Anthony Davis complemented the effort with 24 points and 14 rebounds, helping the Lakers, currently in ninth place, to extend their lead over the Warriors to 1 1/2 games in the Western Conference. Golden State managed to clinch a 117-113 victory against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

Rui Hachimura contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who boasted an impressive 54.5 percent shooting accuracy from the field. D’Angelo Russell added 18 points, while Austin Reaves pitched in with 12 points, resulting in a total of 114 points from the Lakers’ starting lineup.

Despite Cam Thomas‘ 30-point effort for the Nets (29-46), their three-game winning streak came to an end. Trendon Watford chipped in with 15 points, and Dennis Schroder finished with 14 as the Nets struggled with their shooting, managing only 42.4 percent overall and 33.3 percent (12-for-36) from long range after sinking 25 threes in Friday’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls.

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The Nets endured a sluggish start, missing their first 11 shots, allowing the Lakers to establish a commanding 17-0 lead with 6:04 remaining in the first quarter. Although Brooklyn managed to get on the scoreboard with 5:39 left, the Lakers built a lead as large as 24 late in the period, entering the second quarter with a commanding 31-11 advantage.

Although Brooklyn trimmed the deficit to 12 after Mikal Bridges‘ 3-pointer with 6:26 remaining in the second quarter, the Lakers closed out the first half with a dominant 20-9 run, heading into halftime with a commanding 67-44 lead.

While the Lakers initially extended their lead to 26 points early in the third quarter, the Nets staged a comeback, reducing the deficit to 90-79 by the end of the period, courtesy of a four-point play by Thomas and a putback by Watford in the final 31.5 seconds.

James delivered a couple of clutch 3-pointers down the stretch, including one remarkable shot while falling out of bounds into the lap of a fan in the front row, propelling the Lakers to a comfortable 108-91 lead with 7:14 left in the game. His ninth 3-pointer further extended the lead to 111-93 less than a minute later.