Davis has 40, LeBron has triple-double as Lakers beat Rockets

HOUSTON (AP)— Anthony Davis scored 40 points, LeBron James had 18 points, 11assists and 10 rebounds to tie Jason Kidd for fourth place with his107th triple-double and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the HoustonRockets 134-109 on Sunday night.

The Lakers(40-38) moved two games over .500 and into a tie for seventh withthe New Orleans Pelicans in the Western Conference with four gamesto go. Los Angeles has won six of its last seven games and owns thetiebreaker over the Pelicans.

Davis scored27 in the first half en route to his first 40-point performancesince scoring 55 against the Washington Wizards on Dec. 4 and histhird of the season.

Lakersstarter D’Angelo Russell, who has started every game since beingacquired in a three-team trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves onFeb. 9, did not return to play in the second half due to left footsoreness. Russell had six points, four assists and three reboundsin 15 minutes.

In his 13games with the Lakers, Russell had been averaging 18 points, 6.5assists and three rebounds.

AlperenSengun notched his third straight double-double with 18 points and15 rebounds, Jalen Green scored 24 points and Kevin Porter Jr.chipped in 20 points. Prior to this stretch, Sengun had onedouble-double over the previous nine games played.

The Lakersowned a 70-60 halftime lead, which the Rockets cut to six with 9:38to go in the third quarter on a reverse layup by Green.

With 30.3seconds left in the third quarter, James got a roar from the Lakersfans with an emphatic one-handed tomahawk dunk to bring the Lakers’lead back to 16. That was a part of a 20-7 run by Los Angeles toextend the lead to 117-90 with 7:56 to go.

TIP-INS

Lakers: RuiHachimura scored 20 points and had a season-high 12 rebounds …Austin Reaves scored 16 points … Malik Beasley scored 13 points offthe bench.

Rockets: Allfive starters scored in double digits. … Rockets coach StephenSIlas received a technical foul with 8:30 left in the game …Houston Texans new coach DeMeco Ryans was introduced prior to thegame and did the Rockets “First Shot”.

UPNEXT

Lakers: Visitthe Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.

Rockets: Hostthe Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night.