LeBron James posted the 125th triple-double of his career while leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a comprehensive 120-101 win over the visiting Washington Wizards on Monday.
James compiled 21 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists to become, at 41 years, 90 days, the oldest player to notch a triple-double, surpassing his own record of 41 years, 79 days.
It was his third triple-double of the season.
Austin Reaves, Jaxson Hayes and Luke Kennard contributed 19 points apiece for the Lakers (49-26), who have won 15 of their past 17 games. Los Angeles was without Luka Doncic, the league’s leading scorer, due to a one-game suspension for technical-foul accumulation.
Hayes sank all eight of his shots from the floor while Kennard hit 4 of 5 from 3-point range. The rest of the Lakers went 3 of 19 from deep.
Will Riley scored 20 points, Justin Champagnie added 18 and Tristan Vukcevic had 14 for Washington (17-58), which has lost 19 of its past 20 outings.
The Lakers jumped out to an 11-4 lead on James’ alley-oop flush from a Reaves lob, but the Wizards chipped into the deficit and led at 26-25 at the end of the first quarter after Jamir Watkins’ dunk with 0.2 seconds remaining.
Washington went up 31-27 on a Jaden Hardy trey before Los Angeles uncorked the first of two 11-0 bursts in the second period, effectively putting the contest to bed.
The Wizards sank just 7 of 24 attempts from the floor for the quarter, including 1 of 10 from deep. Meanwhile, the Lakers attacked the paint with efficiency, piloted by Hayes’ nine points and five boards for the period, to waltz ahead 65-44 entering halftime.
Los Angeles streaked ahead 72-48, and a second blowout in as many days loomed for Washington, which lost by 35 at Portland on Sunday.
However, the Wizards managed to salvage some momentum with a 9-0 burst to close the margin to 81-71 after a Champagnie layup. The gap was 91-77 with a quarter to play.
A 13-1 Lakers spree in the space of 1:44 saw the margin balloon to 114-84 in the fourth.
–Field Level Media
