LeBron James dazzles in Lakers win on fun-filled return to Cleveland

By Jack Bantock, CNN

Updated 1122 GMT (1922 HKT) March 22, 2022

LeBron James posterizes Kevin Love in the Lakers' solid victory over the Cavs.

(CNN)LeBron James gave the Cleveland Cavaliers a taste of what was — and what could yet still come — on a triumphant return to the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Monday night.

A three-time MVP with the Cavaliers, the 37-year-old received a warm welcome from his former fans before racking up a 38 point triple-double to lift his Los Angeles Lakers to a much-needed 131-120 victory on the road.It was James' second straight 38-point haul, having scored the same tally in a defeat to the Washington Wizards on Sunday to leapfrog Karl Malone into second on the NBA's all-time regular season scoring list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. James added 11 rebounds and 12 assists against the Cavs to become the oldest ever player to notch a 30-point triple double, according to StatMuse. Despite leading a Lakers team struggling for consistency at 31-41 for the season, with 29.8 points per game, James tops the league alongside Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo, nine and 10 years his junior respectively.Read MoreJames celebrates en route to victory in Cleveland.«LeBron James putting up numbers on these young boys at the age of 37 years old is crazy to me,» tweeted analyst and former Cavs center Kendrick Perkins.«This man has literally dominated two generations. Low key these young boys should feel disrespected by the old man! Carry the hell on,» Perkins added.Lakers pair Russell Westbrook and D.J. Augustin added 20 points apiece, while Darius Garland led scoring for the Cavaliers with 29 points and a game-high 17 assists.'Come Home LeBron?!'Last month, James admitted the «door's not closed» on a third