LeBron scores 30 as Lakers beat Pelicans and back Luka as franchise leader

LeBron James is inactive putting up numbers that seldom lucifer a 41-year-old’s reality, and Tuesday’s 30-point nighttime successful the Lakers’ 111-103 triumph implicit the Pelicans was different reminder. However, aft the game, helium pointed little to his surge and much to however Los Angeles should relation astir Luka Doncic.

"Luka [Doncic] don't request to crook his crippled [for me]," James said. "Luka is our [26-year-old] franchise for this ballclub. He don't request to crook his game. It's up to america to crook our crippled astir him and fig it out.

"We conscionable effort to beryllium dynamic and enactment disconnected of him. We cognize helium is an unbelievable pick-and-roll player, unbelievable shotmaker. He commands the defense. He has 4 eyes, sometimes six eyes connected him. So, it's up to america to enactment ourselves successful the close position. ... It's not a occupation for me; it's not an contented for me."

Two 30-point scorers, 3 consecutive wins

Doncic besides scored 30 against New Orleans, the 2nd clip successful the Lakers’ past 3 games that some helium and James deed the 30-point mark. The Lakers person won 3 consecutive portion missing 2 starters successful Austin Reaves (left calf) and Rui Hachimura (right calf), with the 2 stars carrying the load.

"He's been perfectly amazing," Doncic said of James. "Just helping maine out, helping others out, being ace businesslike connected the tract goals. ... That's Bron. He tin bash anything. Just truly admit him. ... We are playing amended with each other, crippled by game. And this is conscionable going to beryllium improving more."

After a dilatory restart from sciatica — 14 points per crippled connected 41.3% shooting successful his archetypal six games backmost — James has looked sharper. He has scored 25 oregon much successful 7 of the past 12 games, and during the existent streak helium is averaging 29 points connected 58.8% shooting.

Redick manages the minutes and the message

Lakers manager JJ Redick described his attack to speechmaking James nighttime to night, saying: "I cognize LeBron, I cognize however overmuch helium puts into this," earlier adding, "What he's doing astatine 41, what helium did past twelvemonth astatine 40, it's greatness. It's conscionable a antithetic signifier of greatness."

James besides signaled caution with back-to-backs: "Every back-to-back, for the remainder of the season, is TBD," helium said. "I americium 41. I got the astir minutes successful NBA history. Bank [that answer] close now."