Another record for LeBron James in the Lakers' 113-100 victory over the Kings

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James had 19 points, six rebounds and seven assists while breaking the NBA record for regular-season minutes, helping the Los Angeles beat the Sacramento Kings 113-100 on Thursday night.

James spent 34 minutes on the court against the Kings to give him 57,471 in his career, moving past Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (57,446) for the record.

Anthony Davis had 21 points and 20 rebounds in the opener of a two-game set at Golden 1 Center. Austin Reaves scored 35 points and D’Angelo Russell added 16 points to help the Lakers (15-12) to their third win in four games.

The Kings trailed most of the game then closed within 93-90 on De’Aaron Fox’s jumper with eight minutes remaining. Reaves’s short bank shot and two free throws from Davis sparked a 10-2 run that helped the Lakers pull away.

Fox had 26 points, five assists and three steals for the Kings. Domantas Sabonis added 18 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. Malik Monk scored 17 points.

Lakers: Davis fell hard to the floor in the fourth quarter and stayed down for several moments before getting up and limping heavily. Davis, who has been dealing with left plantar fasciitis, stayed in the game and immediately made a big defensive stop.

Kings: For the second consecutive game, a poor first quarter doomed Mike Brown’s club. Sacramento fell behind by 14 early, made a run to take the lead in the second then spent the entire fourth quarter playing from behind.

The momentum changed when Fox picked up his fifth foul with 6:47 minutes left in the second half, forcing the point guard to the bench. He was limited to 11 minutes the rest of the game.

Three days after giving up 76 points in the paint to Denver, the Kings held the Lakers to 44 points inside the key.

The teams will complete the two-game set in Sacramento on Saturday.

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Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (0) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers guards Gabe Vincent (7) and D'Angelo Russell (1) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent (7) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown gestures to his team during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) looks to shoot against Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) celebrates after scoring against the Sacramento Kings during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) shoots against Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) defends against Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots against Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis, center top right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots against Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates after scoring against the Sacramento Kings during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't scoring the way he usually does, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are still winning the way they normally do.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, averaged 31.1 points during the regular season. In the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers, he is averaging 20 points and taking only 14 shots per game.

Oklahoma City has still won the first two games by an average of 18 points. Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each scored 22 points, and the defending champion Thunder beat the Lakers 125-107 on Thursday night.

Ajay Mitchell, starting in place of injured Jalen Williams, is averaging 19 points on 50% shooting in the series for Oklahoma City.

“I think the coaching staff does a good job at just getting all of us ready,” said Mitchell, a second-year guard. "And we have a lot of competitors. Like, everyone’s a competitor on our team. So every time the lights are bright, everyone’s ready to go.”

Holmgren is the leading scorer for the Thunder in the best-of-seven series with 23 points per game. The 2026 All-Star also is averaging 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.

Jared McCain, a midseason acquisition from the Philadelphia 76ers, barely played in the first round against Phoenix but has averaged 15 points and made 8 of 10 3-pointers in the series.

“He goes in there, stays in character, stays aggressive," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "He’s going to shoot the next shot. He makes the right plays, plays inside the team. He competes defensively, has had good defensive possessions for us. And he was huge tonight. You need that in a playoff series.”

The Lakers again were without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who is out indefinitely with a strained left hamstring. They also were missing forward Jarred Vanderbilt, the reserve forward who dislocated the pinkie on his right hand during the second quarter of Game 1. The Lakers had three players finish with five fouls, limiting their aggressiveness late in the game.

Los Angeles guard Austin Reaves, who struggled with his shot in Game 1, scored 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Game 2. LeBron James, coming off a 27-point effort in Game 1, followed that up with 23.

With the Lakers up 63-61 early in the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander got tied up with Reaves and was called for his fourth foul. Upon review, it was upgraded to a flagrant 1 for Gilgeous-Alexander's follow through. Oklahoma City's Alex Caruso was called for a technical foul as the situation was being sorted out.

Gilgeous-Alexander left the game with the Lakers up 65-61, but the Thunder rallied and took control without him. On a fast break, Holmgren found a trailing Jaylin Williams, who hit a 3-pointer and was fouled. His free throw put the Thunder up 85-74.

The Thunder outscored the Lakers 32-15 while Gilgeous-Alexander was out in the third quarter to take a 93-80 lead into the fourth.

“It was amazing," Gilgeous-Alexander said. “They strung together stops, they’re playing the right way offensively and things are going their way. Full confidence in those guys. They know how to win basketball games. And we've proven that. They’ve proven that no matter who’s on the floor, they know how to get the job done. And they just did it again tonight."

The Lakers cut Oklahoma City's lead to five in the fourth quarter before the Thunder pulled away again.

Los Angeles will host Game 3 on Saturday.

“We just stuck with it,” Holmgren said. “It’s the game of basketball. It’s not always going to go your way. It’s about how you respond. And this team has proven many times that we know how to respond. And we did so tonight.”

This story has been corrected to show that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 20, not 19, points per game against the Lakers.

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Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren (7) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves (15) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, front, works for a shot as Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves, rear, defends in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James stands on the court in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket past Los Angeles Lakers' Deandre Ayton (5) and LeBron James, rear, in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) works to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)