LeBron James outduels Kevin Durant despite painful shin injury - ESPN

PHOENIX — LeBron James grimaced as he jogged back with a slight limp to the visitor's locker room at Footprint Center late Friday night.

But not even a painful shin injury suffered in the first quarter could spoil this night for James, who had 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to overcome Kevin Durant and lead the Los Angeles Lakers to their first in-season tournament victory, 122-119, over the Phoenix Suns.

Once again, James and Durant engaged in an epic duel with Durant finishing with 38 points, nine rebounds and five assists. Durant scored seven of his points in the fourth but James found Cam Reddish in the corner for an open 3 that gave the Lakers a 118-113 lead with 1:10 left that Phoenix couldn't overcome.

James also had to shake off an unintentional blow he took from Durant on a drive to the basket with 4:22 remaining in the first quarter when Durant's knee hit James in the left shin. James had to collect himself along the baseline for a moment before later getting his shin treated and stretched on the bench.

James said the injury was sore after the game and could be seen walking with a slight limp. The Lakers play again on Sunday against Portland at home.

«It never loosened up,» James said of the shin. "… [It] pretty much locked up right then and there… So I tried to keep my composure, make sure I was OK, and try to keep it stretched out and as loose as possible and play the game and be effective.

«Pretty sore right now. Obviously because the adrenaline is calming down and iced it, now it's pretty sore.»

The Lakers (4-5) needed this win badly, not only because it was their first in-season tournament game but it snapped a three-game losing streak on this four-game road trip.

Head coach Darvin Ham made a