The Los Angeles Lakers were on a roll. The squad had won five of their last six games and just completed a trade with the Brooklyn Nets to bolster their roster.
On Sunday, the Lakers acquired Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and draft picks. The move was made to strengthen both the team’s defense and three-point shooting.
But on the last day of the year, Los Angeles faced their toughest challenge yet. On New Year’s Eve, the Lakers looked to defend their home court against the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers. They’d crossed paths with the Cavs earlier this season, but that was before they’d solidified themselves as the best team in the NBA.
The Lakers trailed for much of the contest, and while they were able to make things interesting on multiple occasions, they couldn’t quite close the distance and watched Cleveland pull ahead for a 122-110 victory.
James, Davis, and Reaves powered the Lakers’ offense
Fittingly, James played his first game as a 40-year-old against the team where it all started. The 22-year veteran dropped 23 points (9-17 FG, 3-6 3PT), seven assists, and four rebounds while adding to his multi-decade highlight reel with a monster fastbreak jam in the first half.
Anthony Davis added 28 points (12-23 FG, 2-4 3PT), 13 boards, four assists, and a pair of blocks, while Austin Reaves continued his scorching-hot run over the last few games. The 26-year-old guard matched his career-high with 35 points (11-20 FG, 1-4 3PT), while nearly securing another triple-double with 10 assists and nine rebounds.
Reaves accounted for 13 of the Lakers’ 19 free throw attempts, connecting on 12 of them (92%).
Having blossomed into one of the team’s primary playmakers over the past few games, Reaves expressed his excitement to take on the new role:
“I’m kind of taking on this role on the fly,” he said in his post-game interview. “Trading D’Lo and getting more on-ball reps. Like I said, I’m learning. It’s my fourth year in the league and every day, I can still learn something new. I’m really excited to continue to grow and become a better player.”
The team’s newest recruits, Finney-Smith and Milton, played their first game in the Purple and Gold. Still adjusting to a new system, the pair experienced some growing pains.
Finney-Smith had two points (1-4 FG, 0-2 3PT), two boards, and two assists, while Milton added six points on a pair of threes, with neither adding much on the defensive end.
As a unit, the Lakers shot 44% from the floor (42-95) and just 25% from downtown (9-35). They made the most of their opportunities at the line, however, connecting on nearly 90% (17-19).
Los Angeles couldn’t stop Cleveland’s unrelenting offense
The Lakers’ shooting struggles didn’t completely take them out of the game, but it halted them from hanging with the unstoppable Cleveland offense. Any time that Los Angeles would get hot and cut the lead to single digits, the Cavaliers would immediately answer back with a run of their own to reestablish their steady lead.
With under three minutes to go, Cam Reddish tipped away Donovan Mitchell’s dribble and made a leaping save to Davis. The big man outleted to James, who chased the ball down and connected on an off-balance, corner three to cut the lead to five points.
Crypto.com Arena was shaking with excitement. The game was right back within reach, and there was plenty of time left. In the very next possession, though, Jarrett Allen drew contact for an and-one, sucking all the life out of the venue. From there, the Lakers scored just three more points while Cleveland amassed a twelve-point lead by the final buzzer.
Cleveland’s league-best offense was firing on all cylinders. The Cavs – who lead the NBA in offensive rating, field-goal percentage, and three-point percentage – torched the Lakers by shooting 48% from the floor (45-93), 39% from deep (18-46), and 82% from the line (14-17).
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Five Cavaliers scored in double-figures, including Allen, who led the team with 27 points (12-14 FG) and 14 rebounds. Mitchell erupted for 26 points (8-20 FG, 6-13 3PT) while Evan Mobley tallied 20 (8-14 FG, 2-4 3PT).
Cleveland has done this all season, and Los Angeles – like many other teams – didn’t have an answer.
“You have to play close to perfect basketball,” said Lakers head coach JJ Redick in his post-game interview. “They’re not gonna let you beat them, and they’re not gonna beat themselves.”
Los Angeles ends 2024 with a record of 18-14, the seventh-best mark in the Western Conference. Cleveland won their eighth straight game and improved to a remarkable, league-leading 29-4. The Lakers aim to reacclimate after the trade and start off 2025 with a win against the Portland Trailblazers in Los Angeles on Thursday night.
