LeBron James has triple-double, monster dunk in Lakers’ win over Cavaliers

Right here the Lakers had been, down double-digits early, their will already damaged by simply the slightest quantity of strain. Monday night time, it was an offensive rebound that snapped their early momentum and sucked the life out of them.

It’s a scene that’s repeated itself in cities everywhere in the NBA map — the Lakers folding after a blown name, a missed rotation, a bricked jumper or, on this case, a phantom field out.

The Cavaliers would go on to attain 31 of the sport’s subsequent 42 factors, the newest chapter within the Lakers’ ineptitude to stare down adversity being written in actual time.

However LeBron James hates to lose. And he actually actually hates dropping as an opponent in Cleveland.

It’s solely occurred as soon as — March 29, 2011 — and because of a triple-double mixed with yet one more robust recreation from Russell Westbrook, it nonetheless hasn’t occurred a second time.

Preventing again in opposition to the Cavaliers’ early strain as an alternative of wilting beneath it, the Lakers received 131-120.

James scored 38 factors to go along with 11 rebounds and 12 assists whereas Westbrook had 20 factors and 11 assists, the Lakers ending a four-game highway journey with a pair of wins and precise rhythm and momentum.

With fingers twirling on the sides of his head, indicating that he was going loopy, James making jumper after troublesome jumper — satiating down the Cleveland bench and posing for the followers who nonetheless put on his Cavaliers jerseys.

It’s James’ seventeenth win in opposition to the Cavaliers in 18 tries.

The Lakers can head dwelling, at minimal, with some comfortability of their present type of play, even when it’s not what a Frank Vogel coached workforce would usually appear like.

Embracing lineups that favor offense, the Lakers have lastly proven flashes of continuity — a trait that’s eluded them for the reason that very first days of the season following their busy summer season of roster reconstruction.

With Anthony Davis out and Kendrick Nunn nonetheless ready to debut, the Lakers are with out two key substances for the defensive lineups they thought they’d have.

So, despite the fact that Vogel stated it hasn’t been “enjoyable,” they needed to pivot.

“You must put a few of your personal ego apart at occasions. And if an offensive lineup is what you are feeling is gonna win essentially the most video games, it’s a must to put that apart and simply go along with it,” Vogel stated earlier than the sport. “I’ve executed that so much this 12 months. It hasn’t resulted in sufficient wins, and it’s been very disappointing a few of the defensive performances we put out. However it’s a must to make the items match offensively for us to win. The objective is for us to carry out properly sufficient on either side to attain extra factors as a workforce. It’s not simply to be an incredible defensive workforce.

“I’ve needed to take away a few of that, and that’s simply a part of this job. And we’re up for the problem, we nonetheless have plenty of life left, and we’ve discovered loads of methods of issues that won’t work. That doesn’t imply we’ve discovered what is going to work but.”

They used their thirty third totally different beginning lineup on Monday, enjoying Wenyen Gabriel, Dwight Howard and Austin Reaves with James and Westbrook. The group opened the sport by scoring six straight earlier than the Cavaliers stormed forward by as many as 14.

Then reserve guard D.J. Augustin bought scorching and the Lakers stored combating — as constructive of an indication as any and one they’ve proven constantly over the past week.

And the Lakers stayed within the struggle lengthy sufficient for James to take over, each as a scorer and a playmaker, the workforce trying as comfy as they’ve all season.