The Cleveland Cavaliers went into the night with the worst record in the NBA they were determined to not roll over for LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. James ultimately took control of his homecoming, powering the Lakers to a 109-105 win and 2-1 finish on their road trip.
Unlike their effort against the Miami Heat on the second night of a back-to-back, the Lakers were largely lethargic. James and Kyle Kuzma combined to carry the scoring load early, but the Cavs led 28-24 at the end of the first quarter.
The Lakers’ deficit grew to 11 points until James checked back in during the second quarter.