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NBA: LeBron, Westbook carry Lakers to rout of Portland

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Field Level Media/Reuters

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Lakers forward LeBron James is defended by Portland guard Dennis Smith Jr., as James drives to the basket in their game on December 31, 2021. Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA Today Sports/Reuters" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tvpatrol/01/01/lebron-james.jpg"/><figcaption>Lakers forward LeBron James is defended by Portland guard Dennis Smith Jr., as James drives to the basket in their game on December 31, 2021. Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA Today Sports/Reuters</figcaption></figure></div>LeBron James scored 43 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Russell Westbrook posted a triple-double and the Los Angeles Lakers closed 2021 with a 139-106 rout of the visiting Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.James reached a double-double in the first half, posting 27 points and 10 rebounds by intermission. He reached double figures in points less than 6 minutes into the game as the Lakers raced to a 25-10 start.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/01/22/nba-late-22-0-run-propels-clarkson-jazz-past-wolves">NBA: Late 22-0 run propels Jazz past Minnesota</a></li></ul>It was all Los Angeles from there in a wire-to-wire win.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/01/22/nba-ja-morant-grizzlies-cruise-past-spurs">NBA: Ja Morant, Grizzlies cruise past San Antonio</a></li></ul>Westbrook finished with 15 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists.Portland cut the deficit to 12 points to open the 3rd quarter when Tony Snell connected on a 3-pointer off one of Damian Lillard&#x27;s seven assists, but Los Angeles responded with a quick 10-2 run that effectively ended any hope of a rally.The Trail Blazers struggled to find a shooting rhythm throughout the night. They hit just 36 of 102 (35.3 percent) from the floor and 12 of 42 (28.6 percent) from 3-point range. Lillard went 1 of 8 from long distance while Norman Powell was 0 of 5 from deep.Ben McLemore led Portland with 28 points off the bench, hitting 6 of 14 from 3-point range. Lillard finished with 18 points, Larry Nance Jr. had 13 points and 9 boards, and Powell scored 12.Los Angeles sank 55.3 percent of its field-goal attempts (47 of 85) and 19 of 41 (46.3 percent) from beyond the arc.James shot 16 of 26 from the floor and 5 of 10 from outside. Westbrook went 5 of 10 overall, and Malik Monk hit 6 of 11 shots en route to 18 points.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/01/22/nba-derozan-beats-buzzer-to-lift-bulls-over-pacers">NBA: DeRozan beats buzzer to lift Bulls past Pacers</a></li></ul>Stanley Johnson played his best game since being added to the Lakers&#x27; roster on a 10-day contract via the hardship exception. He shot 3 of 4 from the field, including 2 of 3 from outside, and finished with 10 points.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/01/22/nba-hawks-climb-out-of-16-point-hole-clip-cleveland">NBA: Trae, Hawks climb out of 16-point hole, clip Cavaliers</a></li></ul>Carmelo Anthony (16 points), Austin Reaves (10) and Talen Horton-Tucker (10) all scored in double figures off the bench for Los Angeles, which won for just the 2nd time in 8 games.Portland took its 4th straight loss and fell for the 11th time in the past 13 games.

James scored 43 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Westbrook posted a triple-double and the Lakers closed 2021 with a 139-106 rout of Portland Friday.