Lakers drop 140 points on Jazz as LeBron James starts NBA record 23rd season

The Los Angeles Lakers were scoring astatine volition arsenic LeBron James made his long-awaited play debut against the Utah Jazz connected Tuesday night.

James began an NBA grounds 23rd play aft dealing with sciatica for the archetypal fewer weeks of the year. He played 30 minutes and scored 11 points successful the Lakers’ 140-129 victory. He added 12 assists and 3 rebounds to his statline.

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Los Angeles Lakers guardant LeBron James (23) smiles earlier the tip-off during the archetypal fractional of an NBA hoops crippled against the Utah Jazz Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, successful Los Angeles.  (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

"The gait tested me, but I was blessed with the mode I was capable to spell with the guys," James said. "As the crippled went on, my upwind got a batch better. Caught my 2nd wind, caught my 3rd wind. Rhythm is inactive coming back, obviously. First crippled successful astir 7 months, truthful everything that happened contiguous was to beryllium expected."

The 40-year-old James had been sidelined since the commencement of grooming campy and missed 14 games, contempt ne'er missing a play opener since helium started playing organized basketball. He was backmost astatine Lakers signifier connected Monday.

He made definite helium was going to acceptable successful with a squad that came into Tuesday night’s crippled with a 10-4 record.

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Los Angeles Lakers halfway Jaxson Hayes (11) and guardant LeBron James (23) observe aft Hayes made a handbasket and drew a foul telephone against the Utah Jazz during the 2nd fractional of an NBA hoops crippled Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, successful Los Angeles.  (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

"I tin acceptable successful with anybody," James said. "I don’t adjacent recognize wherefore that was adjacent a question. What’s incorrect with these radical retired here? I tin acceptable successful close distant with anybody. Just watching the guys the archetypal 14 games, I was putting myself (mentally) successful presumption portion I was watching the games of however I could assistance the squad and however I could beryllium palmy to assistance those guys. I’m inactive capable to summation a batch of eyes erstwhile I’m driving the shot oregon person the ball."

Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 37 points connected 11-of-22 shooting. He had 10 assists and 5 rebounds. Austin Reaves contributed 26 points and Deandre Ayton had 20.

Utah fell to 5-9 connected the season.

Keyonte George had 34 points connected 13-of-23 shooting with 8 assists and 4 rebounds. Lauri Markkanen had 31 points and 5 rebounds.

James is the archetypal subordinate ever to enactment successful 23 NBA seasons.

Los Angeles Lakers guardant LeBron James (23) reacts to a three-point handbasket by defender Gabe Vincent during the 2nd fractional of an NBA hoops crippled against the Utah Jazz Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, successful Los Angeles.  (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Vince Carter played successful 22 seasons. Carter’s last play came successful 2019-20, which was abruptly ended owed to the coronavirus pandemic. Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Paul person each reached the 21-season benchmark.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.