LeBron scores 46 points with 9 3s, but Clippers rout Lakers

LOS ANGELES(AP) — LeBron James hit a career-high nine 3-pointers while scoring46 points, but the Los Angeles Clippers hit 19 3-pointers of theirown on the way to a comfortable 133-115 victory over the LosAngeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

James scoredat least 40 points against the Clippers for the first time in his20-year career, giving him a 40-point game against all 30 teams inthe NBA. James hit his record ninth 3-pointer with 6:45 to play,setting a career high from distance in his 1,404th game.

“I was ableto make a few shots tonight and try to help us stay in the game,”James said. “But the Clippers, they are really good. Exceptionallygood when they’re shooting the 3-ball, and tonight they didthat.”

Indeed,James’ brilliance wasn’t nearly enough: The Lakers never caught upafter falling behind by 23 points, and James spent the finalminutes on the bench after the Clippers pulled away for their 10thconsecutive victory over their arena co-tenants in downtown LosAngeles since former Lakers guard Tyronn Lue became the Clippers’coach.

James alsoramped up his chase of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career scoring recordwith his 101st 40-point game, including the postseason. He trailsAbdul-Jabbar (38,387 points) by just 177 points, putting him inposition to potentially break the record at the end of the Lakers’upcoming five-game road swing instead of back home in LosAngeles.

“I’ve got tothis place by not even thinking about it,” James said. “Just beingin the moment, trying to play the game the right way. Even tonight,as well as I shot the ball, I was still trying to distribute to myguys, to make sure they felt some type of rhythm. That’s justalways how I’ve played the game.”

Paul Georgehad 27 points and nine rebounds, and Kawhi Leonard added 25 pointsin the Clippers’ third straight win overall. The Clippers nevertrailed largely because they hit a season-high 15 3-pointers in thefirst half while scoring a season-high 77 points in the firsthalf.

“(James) hada great shooting game, but we weathered the storm,” Lue said. “Whenthey cut (the lead) to 10 and LeBron is on fire like that ... wejust tried to take everyone else out and make him goone-on-one.”

Norman Powellhad 22 points and Reggie Jackson added 19 for the Clippers.

“We wereforcing them into really tough shots, and they were just makingthem,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “Against a great team likethat, you’ve got to play damn near perfect to overcome thatdeficit.”

RussellWestbrook scored 17 points and Thomas Bryant added 15 for theLakers, who could get Anthony Davis back Wednesday from his 20-gameabsence with a right foot injury.

“Thepossibilities are limitless,” Ham said with a grin.

HACHIMURA ARRIVES

Rui Hachimurasat on the Lakers’ bench in street clothes one day after theyacquired him from Washington in a trade for Kendrick Nunn. TheJapanese big man will in uniform Wednesday, Ham said.

TIP-INS

Clippers:Marcus Morris left the game with bruised ribs. Lue had no postgameupdate. ... John Wall missed his sixth straight game with anabdominal injury. ... Luke Kennard missed his ninth straight gamewith a calf injury.

Lakers:Guards Lonnie Walker and Austin Reaves also are both close toreturns from injury, Ham said. Reaves hasn’t played since Jan. 4,and Walker has been out since Dec. 28. ... Westbrook scored his24,000th point in the first quarter, becoming the 28th player inNBA history to hit the mark.