LOS ANGELES (AFP) - LeBron James notched a 32-point triple-double on Tuesday (Dec 28) to help the Los Angeles Lakers snap a five-game National Basketball Association skid with a 132-123 victory over the Houston Rockets.
The four-time NBA champion was listed as the starting centre for the first time in his 19-year career, as a Lakers team without injured star Anthony Davis grappled with coronavirus-related absences that included Rajon Rondo, Trevor Ariza and head coach Frank Vogel.
"I'm just trying to do whatever it takes for this team," said James, who added 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his third triple-double of the season.
"Tonight I was starting at centre for the first time in my career and, you know, we were able to get off that five-game losing streak," he added.
James became the third NBA player to reach 36,000 career points after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) and Karl Malone (36,928).
Russell Westbrook also played a key role with a triple-double of his own of 24 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists - his seventh of the season.
Meanwhile, Malik Monk added 25 points and Carmelo Anthony scored 24 off the bench - his three-pointer with 2min 25sec remaining giving the Lakers a four-point cushion.
James followed with a pair of free-throws and a one-handed slam that made it 124-116 and the Rockets wouldn't get the deficit below five points from there.
"Coming off the tough loss in the Christmas Day game we got some big contributions," he said.
"Melo was spectacular off the bench once again. Everybody gave us great minutes." The league-leading Golden State Warriors shook off a dismal start in Denver, erasing a 24-point halftime deficit but coming up just short in an 89-86 loss to the Nuggets.
Elsewhere, NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks beat Orlando Magic 127-110 behind 28 points from two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Khris Middleton scored 21 points for the Bucks, who notched their fourth straight victory.
In New Orleans, Garrett Temple drained four three-pointers in less than four minutes in the fourth quarter as the Pelicans rallied for a 108-104 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who led by as many as 23 points early.
Jonas Valanciunus made four free throws in the final 28.7 seconds to seal the victory over Cleveland, after a knee injury saw Ricky Rubio carried off in the final three minutes.
In Toronto, Tobias Harris notched the first triple-double of his career, scoring 19 points with 12 rebounds and 10 assists to back up Joel Embiid's 36 points and 11 rebounds for the Philadelphia 76ers in a 114-109 victory over the Raptors.
