Lakers vs. Cavaliers score, results: LeBron James’ return to Cleveland spoiled by Donovan Mitchell’s 43-point explosion

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There were MVP chants at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland for LeBron James’ return, but they weren’t for the player you would think.

Donovan Mitchell stole the spotlight on James’ homecoming, exploding for 43 points to lead the Cavaliers past the surging Lakers.

Los Angeles went into this contest with an 8-2 record in its last 10 games but when Anthony Davis was forced to leave the game in the first quarter with flu-like symptoms, the Lakers couldn’t replace the production of their hottest player.

MORE: How the Lakers unlocked the best version of Anthony Davis

Davis finished with just one point while his matchup, Jarrett Allen, dominated the paint with 24 points and 11 rebounds. James went for 21 points and 17 rebounds, but Mitchell seemed to have an answer every time Los Angeles cut into the Cavaliers’ lead.

As a result, Mitchell and the Cavaliers handed James his second-ever loss in Cleveland as a visitor.

If you missed any of the action, The Sporting News had you covered with live updates, highlights, and more from LeBron’s homecoming.

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Lakers vs. Cavaliers live score

Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
Lakers 26 23 34 19 102
Cavaliers 27 30 28 31 116

Lakers vs. Cavaliers live score, updates, highlights

Final: Cavaliers 116, Lakers 102

9:58 p.m.: The Cavaliers put away the Lakers, coming up with a 116-102 victory despite a back-and-forth contest. Donovan Mitchell was too much for Los Angeles to handle, going off for 43 points (17-27 FG), six rebounds, five assists and four steals. Jarrett Allen was dominant throughout the night, recording a double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds to take advantage of an Anthony Davis-less Lakers team.

LeBron James still put on a show in his return, going for 21 points, 17 rebounds and four assists. Dennis Schroder and Russell Westbrook added 16 points apiece, while Thomas Bryant went for 19 points and nine rebounds in Davis’ absence.

The Cavaliers are now 16-9, good for third in the East. The Lakers fall to 10-13, ranking 13th in the West.

9:42 p.m.: Donovan Mitchell is receiving MVP chants at the free throw line during LeBron James’ return to Cleveland. The Lakers have cleared the bench, trailing 115-110 with under two minutes to go.

9:36 p.m.: Donovan Mitchell may have just put this one away. Since the game was tied at 92, the Cavaliers have gone on a 21-6 run to all but finish off the Lakers. Mitchell just buried a tough contested 3-pointer to give Cleveland its biggest lead of the night, 113-98, with 3:21 left in the game.

9:26 p.m.: Donovan Mitchell is a bad man. The All-Star guard has rattled off seven straight points for the Cavaliers, giving Cleveland a 97-92 lead with 7:33 remaining in the game. He’s up to 33 points on the night while shooting 15-for-25 from the field.

9:21 p.m.: Two-way star Evan Mobley has picked up his fifth foul and will head to the bench early in the fourth quarter.

End of third quarter: Cavaliers 85, Lakers 83

9:14 p.m.: It’s a game of runs. Just as the Cavaliers started to pull away a little bit, the Lakers fought their way right back into the contest, trailing 85-83 going into the fourth quarter. LeBron James is starting to take over, up to 21 points and 14 rebounds on the night.

Donovan Mitchell has a team-high 26 points for the Cavaliers, while Darius Garland’s eight assists are pacing the offense.

9:02 p.m.: Here comes Donovan Mitchell. The All-Star guard has 10 points in the third quarter, giving the Cavaliers a bit of a cushion on the Lakers. He’s up to 24 points on the night as Cleveland leads 79-72 with 3:09 remaining in the frame.

8:49 p.m.: The Lakers have come out of halftime firing. Dennis Schroder had seven quick points to spark some life into Los Angeles, tying the score at 65-65 with 8:09 remaining in the third.

Halftime: Cavaliers 57, Lakers 49

8:27 p.m.: The Cavaliers responded to the Lakers’ run with a 15-4 run of their own, taking a 57-49 lead into halftime. Jarrett Allen’s 22 points and seven rebounds led the way, but Donovan Mitchell’s 14 points and four assists have helped charge the offense.

LeBron James has 11 points, six rebounds and two assists to keep the Lakers in the contest. Russell Westbrook’s play off the bench energized Los Angeles, going for 10 points and two assists. Thomas Bryant has held down the paint in Anthony Davis’ (illness) absence, going for 11 points, four rebounds and a team-best +7 +/-.

8:16 p.m.: The Lakers have rattled off an 11-3 run to take a 41-38 lead. Russell Westbrook is leading the charge, tallying 10 points and two assists off the bench.

8:13 p.m.: Jarrett Allen still cannot be stopped, racking up 19 points on 9-for-9 shooting from the field.

8:11 p.m.: Anthony Davis went to the locker room after the first quarter and did not return. The Lakers announced the All-Star forward will be out for the remainder of the game with flu-like symptoms.

End of first quarter: Cavaliers 27, Lakers 26

8:00 p.m.: The Cavaliers lead the Lakers 27-26 after one quarter. Jarrett Allen has been the difference-maker, scoring 14 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the field. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell have done a great job setting the table for their All-Star big man, recording four assists apiece.

LeBron James has five points, two rebounds and one assist after the first frame. Thomas Bryant leads the Lakers in scoring with seven points off the bench.

7:59 p.m.: This spin move and dime from Donovan Mitchell to Jarrett Allen is worth another look.

7:52 p.m.: Jarrett Allen is dominating Anthony Davis early on. Allen has 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field while holding Davis to just one point. The Cavaliers remain in the lead, 21-17, with 2:40 to play in the first.

7:49 p.m.: At a stoppage in play, the Cavaliers took a moment to honor LeBron James’ return to Cleveland with a standing ovation for the greatest player in franchise history.

7:41 p.m.: Jarrett Allen got hit in the face by LeBron James on a putback dunk attempt, forcing the Cavaliers to take a timeout to let the big man gather himself. Allen is back on the floor and Cleveland leads Los Angeles 12-6 with under eight minutes to play in the frame.

7:36 p.m.: LeBron James gets the Lakers on the board with an emphatic dunk to start this game.

Pregame

7:34 p.m.: What would a return home be for LeBron James without his signature chalk toss?

7:22 p.m.: On “Inside the NBA” ahead of tip-off, Shaquille O’Neal had plenty of praise for Anthony Davis’ recent hot streak.

6:35 p.m.: The King is back in Cleveland.

What channel is Lakers vs. Cavaliers on?

  • Date: Tuesday, Dec. 6
  • TV channel: TNT
  • Live stream: Watch TNT | Sling TV

Lakers vs. Cavaliers will air on TNT. Viewers can also stream the game on Watch TNT or Sling TV.

Fans in the U.S. can watch the biggest games of the 2022-23 NBA season on Sling TV. Stream Sling Orange for $40/month to catch all regular season games on TNT, ESPN & ABC. For games on NBA TV, subscribe to Sling Orange & Sports Extra for $51/month. Local regional blackout restrictions apply.

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Lakers vs. Cavaliers start time

  • Date: Tuesday, Dec. 6
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET | 4:30 p.m. PT

Lakers vs. Cavaliers is scheduled to tip off around 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 6. The game will be played at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.

Lakers schedule 2022-23

Here are L.A.’s next five games:

Date Opponent Time (ET) TV channel
Dec. 6 at Cavaliers 7:30 p.m. TNT
Dec. 7 at Raptors 7:30 p.m. —
Dec. 9 at 76ers 7:30 p.m. ESPN
Dec. 11 at Pistons 6:00 p.m. —
Dec. 13 vs. Celtics 10:00 p.m. TNT

Cavaliers schedule 2022-23

Here are Cleveland’s next five games:

Date Opponent Time (ET) TV channel
Dec. 6 vs. Lakers 7:30 p.m. TNT
Dec. 9 vs. Kings 7:30 p.m. —
Dec. 10 vs. Thunder 7:30 p.m. —
Dec. 12 at Spurs 8:30 p.m. —
Dec. 14 at Mavericks 9:00 p.m. —
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