LeBron James drops season-high 46, outscores Cavs in 4th quarter in 1st game back in Cleveland
LeBron James has yet to experience a proper homecoming since leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Los Angeles Lakers last season.
But he made his first road trip to face his former team on Monday after last season’s visit to Cleveland fell victim to the NBA’s COVID-19 hiatus. He was inspired, despite a COVID-limited crowd of around 2,000.
James dropped a season-high 46 points in a 115-108 win that kept the Lakers a perfect 10-0 on the road. He saved his best for a fourth-quarter outburst that saw him outscore the Cavs by himself, 21-19 to rally the Lakers after trailing in the third quarter. The effort bookended a 17-point first quarter for James that saw him beat the buzzer with a fallaway 3-pointer.
James caught fire from the floor, hitting 19 of 26 field goal, including 7 of 11 3-point attempts. He added eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks to the scoring outburst. It was a balanced performance that saw James alternate between Damian Lillard-distance logo 3s with fast break dunks and drives to the rim through crowds of Cavs defenders.
LeBron pours in 21 of his season-high 46 PTS in the 4th to power the @Lakers in Cleveland! #LakeShow
Wednesday: LAL@PHI at 7:30pm/et on ESPN pic.twitter.com/uUZ0vRaQdd— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2021
It was vintage LeBron, who so often finds an extra gear for the games that matter. While Monday’s game didn’t carry any added significance in the standings, it certainly meant something to James.
In addition to his homecoming, the effort also arrived on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s death.
“There’s a lot of things that die in this world. But legends never die,” James said Saturday of his former rival and fellow Lakers champion. “And he’s exactly that.”
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