Lakers top Cavs, finally win without LeBron James
Montrezl Harrell #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the ball as Dean Wade #32 of the Cleveland Cavaliers defends during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on March 26, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Sean M. Haffey / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Montrezl Harrell had 24 points and 10 rebounds and Dennis Schroder added 17 points as the Los Angeles Lakers came alive to open the second half Friday and pulled away for a 100-86 victory over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers.
Los Angeles ended a four-game losing streak.
Trezz is on a mission to dunk everything 💥💥 pic.twitter.com/DHtioJJN0z
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 27, 2021
Playing without LeBron James for the fourth consecutive game, the Lakers finally figured out how to win without their superstar, using a 19-2 run immediately after halftime to storm past the Cavaliers. James is out indefinitely with an ankle injury, and teammate Anthony Davis has been sidelined since mid-February with a calf strain.
Talen Horton-Tucker contributed 15 points as the Lakers improved to 1-1 during a run of four consecutive home games against Eastern Conference teams.
Young Talen with the vet no-look 👀 pic.twitter.com/KFRBsApIvJ
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) March 27, 2021
Larry Nance Jr. had 17 points and 10 rebounds while Darius Garland added 14 for the Cavaliers, who were playing without Collin Sexton for the second consecutive game. Sexton, Cleveland’s leading scorer, is dealing with hamstring soreness.
The Cavaliers’ roster underwent changes over the past few days after JaVale McGee was traded to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday and Andre Drummond’s contract was bought out earlier Friday. Kevin Love missed his seventh game I a row because of a calf injury.
The Lakers made just one 3-pointer on 10 attempts in a lackluster first half and trailed 51-44 at the break. The 44 points matched their lowest first half this season.
Los Angeles then held Cleveland to just one field goal over the first eight minutes of the third quarter while grabbing a 63-53 lead.
The Lakers took a 72-61 edge after three quarters by shooting 57.9 percent from the field in the period while holding the Cavaliers to 14.3 percent (3 of 21).
Markieff Morris finished with 13 points for the Lakers. Kyle Kuzma was held to four points on 2-of-7 shooting, but he had eight rebounds and seven assists. Los Angeles won despite committing 23 turnovers, 13 of which came in the first half. The Cavaliers gave the ball away 21 times.
Jarrett Allen had 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who are 1-1 on a four-game road trip that heads to Sacramento on Saturday and Utah on Monday.
