LeBron James delivered a dominant performance to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 128-112 victory over the New York Knicks, ending their five-game winning streak at Madison Square Garden. His triple-double—33 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists—underscored his ability to still compete at an elite level, even at 40 years old.
However, the bigger story of the night emerged after the game, with reports surfacing that Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic could be on his way to Los Angeles in a blockbuster three-team trade.
According to ESPN, the proposed deal would see five-time NBA All-Star Doncic join James on the Lakers, while Anthony Davis and Max Christie head to the Mavericks. Dallas would also receive a 2029 first-round draft pick. Meanwhile, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris would move to Los Angeles, with the Utah Jazz also involved in the trade, acquiring Lakers rookie Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks in this year’s draft.
Doncic, 25, has been one of the NBA’s most dominant players, averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game since joining Dallas in 2018. The Slovenian star, who led the league in scoring in 2024, has been sidelined with a calf injury but played a key role in taking the Mavericks to the NBA Finals.
Despite speculation that Doncic could eventually succeed James as the Lakers’ franchise player, head coach JJ Redick emphasized the veteran’s continued leadership.
“LeBron led tonight with his spirit, his force, his voice,” Redick said. “Obviously, he had an incredible statistical performance, but from the outset, it was clear he was on a mission.”
Other NBA Results
Elsewhere, reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic powered the Denver Nuggets to a 107-104 win over the Charlotte Hornets, finishing with 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 17 assists.
Aaron Wiggins had a career night, scoring 41 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Western Conference leaders, dominated the Sacramento Kings 144-110.
In Minnesota, Kyle Kuzma dropped 31 points to help the Washington Wizards snap a 16-game losing streak with a 105-103 win over the Timberwolves. Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz also ended a skid, halting their eight-game losing streak with a 113-99 victory against the Orlando Magic.
The Atlanta Hawks fell 132-127 to the Indiana Pacers despite an outstanding performance from Trae Young, who posted 34 points and 17 assists.
SOURCE: BBC
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