LeBron James returns to Cleveland, where he holds a 9-2 record as an opponent, and this time, his son Bronny joins him. The father-son duo for the Los Angeles Lakers is coming off their first loss of the young season as they visit the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.
Cleveland, off to a 4-0 start for the first time since the 2016-17 season, has been dominant, winning their games by an average margin of 16.8 points. They defeated the New York Knicks on Monday night after trailing by seven at halftime. The Cavaliers lead the NBA in field-goal percentage (52.8%) and are third in scoring (123.5 points per game).
All-Star Donovan Mitchell leads the Cavaliers with 23.8 points per game, and center Jarrett Allen is averaging 9.5 rebounds.
James, who turns 40 on December 30, is averaging 20 points through four games under new head coach JJ Redick. This game marks the second of a five-game road trip for the Lakers. On Monday night, the Lakers led Phoenix 83-76 going into the fourth quarter but ultimately fell 109-105. James had an off night, shooting 3-of-14 from the floor and finishing with 11 points. It was his worst shooting performance since 2007, and he admitted to a recent illness after the game.
Anthony Davis has been leading the Lakers’ offense, averaging an NBA-best 32.8 points per game and ranking second with 12.8 free-throw attempts per game. Austin Reaves has contributed 19.3 points per game. While much has been made about the James father-son duo, Bronny has only played three minutes this season and has one rebound.
LeBron has enjoyed playing against his former team, holding a 19-3 record and averaging 28.5 points as an opponent. The Lakers swept the season series with the Cavaliers last year, and the teams will meet again in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve.
