Fri Jan 03 03:40:00 UTC 2025: ## Cavaliers Spoil LeBron’s 40th Birthday Bash with Win Over Lakers
**Los Angeles, CA** – The Cleveland Cavaliers handed LeBron James a birthday loss, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 122-110 on Wednesday night. James, who turned 40 on Monday, became the first NBA player to play in games across four decades, but his 23-point performance wasn’t enough to overcome a dominant Cavaliers effort.
Jarrett Allen led Cleveland with a season-high 27 points, while Donovan Mitchell added 26. Evan Mobley chipped in 20 points for the Cavaliers, who boast an NBA-best 29-4 record and remain undefeated against Western Conference opponents (9-0). Darius Garland contributed a season-high 14 assists.
The Lakers, meanwhile, received a season-high 35 points and 10 assists from Austin Reaves, along with 28 points and 13 rebounds from Anthony Davis. Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton made their Lakers debuts after a recent trade with Brooklyn, but contributed only two and six points respectively.
Despite a late Lakers rally, the Cavaliers pulled away in the final minutes, fueled by Allen’s key dunk. Cleveland’s hot shooting from beyond the arc continued, with the team hitting 18 three-pointers for the seventh consecutive game.
The victory extends Cleveland’s winning streak to eight games. The Cavaliers continue their road trip in Dallas on Friday, while the Lakers host Portland on Thursday. The game also saw Cleveland’s Sam Merrill suffer a right ankle sprain in the second quarter.
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