LeBron James matched his season high with 40 points and equaled a career best by hitting nine 3-pointers as the Los Angeles Lakers took a commanding lead and never looked back, securing a 116-104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday night in New York.
The Lakers (42-33) clinched their sixth win in seven games, bouncing back strongly from Friday's 19-point loss to the Indiana Pacers where they were limited to just 90 points.
James achieved his third 40-point game of the season by shooting an impressive 13-for-17 from the field, including a remarkable 9-for-10 from beyond the arc.
Anthony Davis contributed 24 points and 14 rebounds, helping the ninth-placed Lakers move 1 1/2 games ahead of the Warriors in the Western Conference standings. Golden State, however, secured a 117-113 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.
Rui Hachimura provided additional support with 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Lakers, who showcased their offensive prowess by shooting at an impressive 54.5 percent from the field.
D'Angelo Russell contributed 18 points, while Austin Reaves chipped in with 12, combining for 114 points from the Lakers' starters.
Despite Cam Thomas' valiant efforts with 30 points, the Nets (29-46) saw their three-game winning streak come to an end.
Trendon Watford added 15 points and Dennis Schroder finished with 14 as the Nets struggled, shooting only 42.4 percent overall and 33.3 percent (12-for-36) from 3-point range, a stark contrast to their 25 made threes against the Chicago Bulls on Friday.
The Nets endured a sluggish start, missing their first 11 shots, allowing the Lakers to establish a commanding 17-0 lead following a layup by Reaves with 6:04 remaining in the first quarter.
Although Brooklyn managed to score their first points with 5:39 left, the Lakers maintained control, leading by as many as 24 late in the period and concluding the first quarter with a 31-11 lead.
Brooklyn attempted to narrow the deficit, reducing the Lakers' lead to 12 after Mikal Bridges' 3-pointer with 6:26 remaining in the second quarter.
However, the Lakers closed out the first half strongly, embarking on a 20-9 run to enter halftime with a commanding 67-44 lead.
Despite Los Angeles extending their lead to 26 points early in the third quarter, the Nets mounted a comeback, narrowing the margin to 90-79 by the end of the quarter, courtesy of a four-point play by Thomas and a putback by Watford in the final 31.5 seconds.
In the fourth quarter, James continued his stellar performance, sinking his eighth 3-pointer while falling out of bounds into the lap of a fan in the front row, extending the Lakers' lead to 108-91 with 7:14 remaining.
His ninth 3-pointer further widened the gap to 111-93 less than a minute later, securing the Lakers' victory.