NEW YORK — The Lakers closed their extended road trip with several reasons to feel good.
LeBron James scored 25 points, Luka Doncic had 24 and the Lakers rolled to a 125-109 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night in Austin Reaves’ first game since Christmas.
Reaves had 15 points in 21 minutes after missing the past 19 games with a strained left calf. He entered late in the first quarter with the Lakers already well in control and helped them continue to pour it on during their 20-for-25 shooting start to the game.
Jake LaRavia scored 18 points for the Lakers (30-19), who finished their trip with a 5-3 record and play next against Philadelphia at home Thursday night, a few hours after the NBA’s noon PT trade deadline has passed.
James had said it was difficult to evaluate the team’s potential without Reaves, who was averaging 26.6 points before he was hurt. They looked potent Tuesday, though it’s hard to judge much against the hapless Nets (13-36), who are only good at losing badly.
Brooklyn was coming off a 53-point loss in Detroit on Sunday and it appeared the Lakers might win by even more. They made 15 of their 18 shots (83.3%) in the first quarter while opening a 45-23 lead, then James scored while being fouled on their first shot of the second.
Reaves then missed consecutive 3-point shots, but came up with a steal and threw the ball off the backboard for James to slam it down. When James later dunked off his own steal, it was 57-28 and the Lakers were 20 for 25 from the field.
The lead grew to 38 points before the Lakers took a 69-40 lead to the locker room at halftime.
Michael Porter Jr. had 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who lost for the ninth time in 10 games. Day’Ron Sharpe finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds.
The Lakers were thrilled to welcome back Reaves, who was shooting 50.7% from the field to go with 6.3 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game before being sidelined for five weeks.
“I think we’ve missed him in every facet,” Coach JJ Redick said. “Both as an on-ball player, off-ball player, a connector, leadership on the court, competitive spirit – competitive spirit defensively. So, he’s an All-Star-level player, and of course, you’re going to miss him in a number of ways.”
Reaves shot 3 for 9 from the field (1 for 5 from 3-point range) and 8 for 10 from the free-throw line to go with four rebounds, one assist, two steals and two turnovers.
Reaves, 27, was enjoying a career-best season before tweaking his left calf on Dec. 10 in a 132-119 loss to the San Antonio Spurs and then suffering a separate strain of the calf two weeks later in a 119-96 loss to the Houston Rockets on Christmas Day.
Prior to the injury, Reaves was averaging 26.6 points on 50.7% shooting from the field, with 6.3 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game.
_More to come on this story._
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The Lakers host Philadelphia on Thursday at 7 p.m.