LOS ANGELES • It was yet another high-scoring Christmas victory for LeBron James, but he was not the brightest star on Friday night.
The Los Angeles Lakers had routed the Dallas Mavericks 138-115 in their National Basketball Association (NBA) game, with James contributing a mere 22 points at the Staples Centre.
They already look on track for a second straight NBA championship, and they have the firepower to achieve that feat.
"We have the ability to (be) where we can have four, maybe even five guys that can score in the 20s any given night," James said.
"As long as we defend and we're efficient, it's a beautiful thing to see."
Anthony Davis led all scorers with 28 points while James had a game-high 10 assists and seven rebounds in 31 minutes. Davis also contributed eight rebounds, five assists and two steals and reserve Montrezl Harrell had 22 points.
"We have a lot of offensive firepower," Lakers coach Frank Vogel said.
Dennis Schroder scored 18 points on seven-of-11 shooting and contributed six assists, and Kyle Kuzma had 13 points and six rebounds for the Lakers, who played on the holiday for a 22nd consecutive year.
James, who turns 36 on Wednesday, rose to second on the NBA's all-time Christmas points list with 383, passing Oscar Robertson by six to be within 12 of matching the late Kobe Bryant's career record.
It was the 10th Christmas victory in 15 holiday appearances by James, who equalled ex-Miami teammate Dwyane Wade for the most career Christmas NBA wins.
Vogel wants to ease the workload on James after the shortest off-season break in NBA history but the player is confident he can handle whatever comes.
"I train my body for whatever. I'm not your typical guy in his 18th season," he said. "If you stay ready, you never have to get ready."
Slovenian star guard Luka Doncic scored 27 points for Dallas, but the Mavericks were outscored in every quarter and lost 53-27 in rebounds.
The standout statistic? The Lakers' 35-0 advantage in second-chance points.
"I'm not surprised at all. You can't win a game when second-chance points is 35-0. It's as simple as that," said Doncic.
Five other Mavericks scored in double figures - Josh Richardson (17 points), Trey Burke (17), Dwight Powell (11), Dorian Finney-Smith (10) and Tim Hardaway Jr (10) - but none reached 20 points.
Los Angeles outshot Dallas 56 per cent to 49.4 per cent for the game and prevailed even though they committed 16 turnovers to only nine for the visitors.
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Clippers beat hosts Denver 121-108 despite an injury to Kawhi Leonard midway into the fourth quarter. Teammate Serge Ibaka struck him in the face going for a rebound, leaving him bleeding and sprawled on the court.
Paul George scored 23 points and passed off nine assists for the Clippers while Leonard had 21 points, seven assists, five rebounds and four steals.
Denver's Nikola Jokic barely missed being the first player since Magic Johnson in 1982 to open a season with back-to-back triple-doubles, producing 24 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
