Doncic’s 53 points lift Lakers as Cavs top Sixers in LeBron James’s return

What the report says

Luka Doncic led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 124-118 NBA Cup group-stage win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, scoring 53 points in a game highlighted by a deep shot from beyond half court at the end of the first half. Al Jazeera reported that the Lakers recovered from a 16-point second-quarter deficit and that Doncic’s late floater helped them secure a fourth straight victory. He also added five rebounds and five assists, and the performance moved him into rare franchise company for repeated 40-point outings.

The same roundup said LeBron James’s return to Cleveland with the Philadelphia 76ers ended in a 119-95 loss to the Cavaliers. James, who joined Philadelphia in June after leaving the Lakers, was received warmly and with some boos, then struggled to find rhythm as Cleveland controlled the game. He finished with eight points, while Joel Embiid had a difficult shooting night and Jaylen Brown led the Sixers with 20 points.

Cleveland improved with strong production from Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley and a decisive rebounding edge. Al Jazeera also noted that the result snapped Philadelphia’s five-game winning streak and continued the NBA Cup group stage schedule, which runs through November before knockout rounds in December. The wider roundup included major wins by Boston, San Antonio and Oklahoma City, underscoring an early-season slate shaped by high-scoring performances and lineup changes.