James notches season-high 47 points on 38th birthday, Lakers triumph

ATLANTA: LeBron James scored a season-high 47 points on his 38th birthday with many of the sellout crowd at State Farm Arena cheering his every move and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Atlanta Hawks 130-121 on Friday night.

James, a four-time NBA MVP and an 18-time All-Star, finished with 10 rebounds and nine assists. He had 16 points in the second quarter, 13 in the third and 16 in the fourth. James began the game ranked ninth in scoring with a 27.8 average.

The Hawks blew a 15-point lead but regained a 101-100 lead on Aaron Holiday’s 3-pointer with 10:50 remaining. James hit a 3 from the right wing to make it 103-101 and Los Angeles never trailed again. The Lakers went up 108-105 on James’ straightaway 3.

Thomas Bryant had 19 points and a season-high 17 rebounds for the Lakers, and Russell Westbrook had 14 points and 11 assists. Trae Young led Atlanta with 29 points and Dejounte Murray had 20.

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In Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 43 points and 20 rebounds and Milwaukee beat Minnesota to snap a four-game losing streak.

Antetokounmpo finished two points off his season high and also had five assists to join Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor as the only players in NBA history with back-to-back games of at least 40 points, 20 rebounds and five assists. Chamberlain did it five times and Baylor once, with Chamberlain the last to do it Jan. 6-7, 1966.

Antetokounmpo has topped 40 points in four of the last six games.

Bobby Portis added 22 points for Milwaukee.

Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 30 points on 10-of-20 shooting. Luka Garza and Jaylen Nowell each had 16 points in the Timberwolves’ fifth straight loss. Minnesota center Rudy Gobert sat out because of a non-COVID illness and