Tuesday brought a historic 140-125 victory for the Los Angeles Lakers over the Utah Jazz, highlighted by Luka Doncic's 37 points and 10 assists alongside the return of LeBron James, who posted 11 points and 12 assists in his unprecedented 23rd season opener, AP reported. After missing training camp and 14 games with sciatica, the 40-year-old played 30 minutes, officially surpassing Vince Carter's longevity record to begin a new chapter in a career dating back to 2003.
James quickly found his playmaking rhythm in the second half while Doncic poured in 17 third-quarter points to help Los Angeles pull away, AP noted. The team secured its third consecutive win to reach an 11-4 record, receiving a significant boost from Austin Reaves, who finished with 26 points.
Keyonte George, born shortly after James' league debut, matched his season high with 33 points for Utah just two days after a game-winning shot against Chicago, while teammate Lauri Markkanen added 31 points in the loss, AP reported. Despite a slow scoring start, James moved past Reggie Miller for the sixth-most 3-pointers in league history with two first-half makes.
A third-quarter layup extended James' record double-digit scoring streak to 1,293 games—active since Jan. 6, 2007—before the Lakers used a 21-5 run to overcome Utah's 71-point first half, AP stated.
Bronny James entered the game for the final 3:33 and connected on a shot from beyond the arc, AP reported.
