LeBron James rose to the occasion and scored a season-high 34 points as the Los Angeles Lakers rallied to a 113-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
Many subplots surrounded the showdown as both the Lakers and the Bucks are again considered to be the main title favorites this season. L.A. went into the game as the NBA’s best defense while Milwaukee owned the league’s top offense.
It was also a direct duel between back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and James, who has won the award three times. The Greek forward beat the 36-year-old forward to the accolade last season, amassing 85 out of 100 potential first-place votes.