LeBron won the battle with The Brow.
LeBron James recorded his third triple-double of the season, as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 112-104, on Friday night at Staples Center.
Following back-to-back losses to the Wizards and Nets, the Lakers returned home for a battle with "The Brow."
Anthony Davis had a game-high 30 points and 20 rebounds, but his Herculean effort was not enough to stop the balanced Lakers attack.
James had 22 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds despite reports he had been battling the flu recently.
A number of Lakers players came down with flu-like symptoms following the Lakers weeklong, four-game road trip. Center JaVale McGee missed his third consecutive game with the illness, and James, Tyson Chandler, and Ivica Zubac were all reportedly feeling similar symptoms this week.
Zubac started in place of McGee, and had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
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All five Lakers starters scored in double figures, as Kyle Kuzma led the Lakers with 23 points, Lonzo Ball had 12, and Brandon Ingram scored 18 in his first game back from a sprained ankle.
Former Laker, Julius Randle, had 21 points in his return to Staples Center, and Jrue Holiday chipped in 18 points and 10 assists for the Pelicans in the loss.
After allowing 65 points in the first half, the Lakers held the Pelicans to just 39 points in the second half. New Orleans has lost three straight games.
Future Laker Anthony Davis?
The game was overshadowed by the ongoing courtship between Lakers forward LeBron James and Pelicans forward Anthony Davis.
Following the Lakers loss to Brooklyn on Tuesday, James was asked about the possibility of Davis joining the Lakers:
"That would be amazing," James said. "That would be incredible."
A day later, Davis was asked about LeBron's comments and said all the right things in response:
"I don't really care," said Davis. "Obviously, it's cool to hear any high-caliber player say they want to play with me. But my job is to turn this team around. We're 15-17, that means I'm not doing my job."
Before Friday night's matchup, reports from rival GMs were published that said they believed LeBron was tampering. Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry shared that sentiment:
"Yes, it is," Gentry said when asked if he thought it was tampering. "Why would it not be? I thought if you talk about a player under contract, that's tampering. That's just me. I've only been in the league 31 years."
Julius Randle Reunion
Former first-round Lakers draft pick Julius Randle returned to Staples Center for the first time as a member of the visiting team. Randle was the seventh overall pick by the Lakers in the 2014 NBA Draft, and played four seasons in Los Angeles before signing with the Pelicans as a free agent.
The Lakers showed a tribute video to Randle before the game, and he received a loud ovation from the Staples Center crowd:
Notes and Next
Lakers forward Brandon Ingram and point guard Rajon Rondo each returned from injuries. Center Ivica Zubac made his first start of the season in replace of JaVale McGee who missed his third straight game with the flu.
The Lakers will host the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night at Staples Center.
Highlights
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