LOS ANGELES — Anthony Davis scored 28 points and LeBron James had 22 while becoming the second-leading Christmas scorer in NBA history during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 138-115 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.
Montrezl Harrell scored 17 of his 22 points in the second half, and Dennis Schröder had 18 points and six assists in a second strong game for both new additions to the NBA champions. Los Angeles outrebounded Dallas 53-27 and closed out its first win of the season with a dominant fourth quarter.
Luka Doncic had 27 points and seven assists in his first starring role in the NBA’s showcase Christmas evening game for Dallas. Josh Richardson and Trey Burke had 17 points apiece as the Mavs started 0-2 with a late fade at Staples Center.
James moved into second place behind Kobe Bryant for the most points scored on Christmas, passing Oscar Robertson in the third quarter. James has 383 points in 15 games on Christmas, while Bryant had 395 in 16 holiday appearances.
The Lakers were aggressive and accurate from the opening tip, taking a 69-57 halftime lead while hitting 61.4% of their shots.
Doncic went 3 for 10 in the first half but combined with Burke for 22 points in the third quarter to keep it close.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: This was Dallas’ only scheduled meeting with the Lakers this season. … The Mavs got fewer offensive rebounds (3) than Harrell (5).
Lakers: Davis was accidentally elbowed in the face by Burke in the first quarter. He had a split lip, but stayed in. … Wesley Matthews, Marc Gasol and Alfonzo McKinnie all scored their first points for the Lakers after going scoreless in the opener. … They wore powder-blue warmups over their silver-on-white Christmas uniforms with blue accents.
CELTICS 123, NETS 95
BOSTON — Kyrie Irving scored 37 points in his return to Boston and Kevin Durant added 29, leading the Brooklyn Nets to a 123-95 victory over the Celtics on Friday.
Jarrett Allen added 11 rebounds for the Nets, who remained perfect so far this season and sent Boston to its first loss. Irving was 7 of 10 from 3-point range in his first regular-season game at TD Garden since he opted out of his Celtics contract in 2019.
Jaylen Brown scored 27 points for the Celtics, and Jayson Tatum had 20 points and eight boards. The Celtics beat Milwaukee in their opener on Wednesday on Tatum’s last-second shot over Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they couldn’t do it again in their second straight matchup against a team expected to contend in the Eastern Conference this season.
The game began after a moment of silence for former Celtics player and coach K.C. Jones, who died earlier Friday.
HEAT 111, PELICANS 98
MIAMI — Duncan Robinson made seven 3-pointers — tying the Christmas single-game mark — and scored 23 points, leading Miami to the victory.
Goran Dragic added 18 points, and Erik Spoelstra moved to 8-0 on Christmas as coach of the Heat. Bam Adebayo scored 17 for Miami, and Avery Bradley finished with 12.
The Heat lost Jimmy Butler at halftime with right ankle stiffness.
Zion Williamson had 32 points and 14 rebounds in 38 minutes for New Orleans — the rebounds and minutes both being career highs. Brandon Ingram finished with 28 points.
But the Pelicans shot 40% to Miami’s 51%.
BUCKS 138, WARRIORS 99
MILWAUKEE — Khris Middleton scored 31 points and Milwaukee won its first Christmas Day home game in over half a century.
Middleton went 6 for 8 from 3-point range, leading a strong performance from deep for his team. Milwaukee was 20 of 37 from beyond the arc, while Golden State was 10 of 45.
The Warriors were outscored by 65 points in their first two games, the second-highest total in NBA history through two games to 71 points for the 1987-88 Clippers.
Milwaukee’s only other Christmas home game came during the franchise’s inaugural season in 1968.
Stephen Curry scored 19 points for Golden State, and rookie James Wiseman had 18.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 15 points and 13 rebounds for Milwaukee, but the two-time reigning NBA MVP shot 4 of 15 from the floor and 7 of 15 from the foul line.