Christie's Career-High Powers Lakers Victory

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Wright | Last updated Jan 3, 2025 6:44 PM ET

LeBron James and Max Christie powered the Lakers to a 114-106 victory over Portland on Thursday night, with James scoring 38 points and Christie setting a career high with 28 in Anthony Davis's absence.

The 40-year-old James continued his remarkable shooting streak, connecting on seven three-pointers while Christie added five of his own as the Lakers won their sixth game in eight tries. Once again, Austin Reaves nearly notched a triple-double, contributing 15 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds to help the Lakers defeat Portland for the fifth consecutive time.

Christie has emerged as an essential contributor to the Lakers' recent surge. With the second-year guard in the starting lineup, Los Angeles has gone 7-2, providing a much-needed boost as they attempt to improve their ranking in a competitive Western Conference.

The 21-year-old shot an efficient 56% from the field and 5-of-9 from three-point range, showcasing his development as both a scorer and defender. In response to Christie's breakout performance, former Lakers great James Worthy praised Christie's two-way impact after the game:

"He wants the best, he's got an old-school mentality and loves to lock people up," Worthy said. "When you have that mentality, I'm not surprised."

With Christie's help, the Lakers overcame Davis' absence, as the star big man rested a sprained left ankle sustained on Christmas Day. Jaxson Hayes started in his place, scoring four points in his return from a 15-game injury absence. A trickle of help came from recent acquisitions Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, who contributed three and four points respectively in their second game since arriving from Brooklyn.

While Portland made a late push, cutting a 13-point deficit to 103-100 with a 14-4 run, James and Christie combined for 11 clutch points down the stretch. James helped to seal the victory, scoring his seventh three-pointer of the game with just 59 seconds remaining.

After early-season struggles, the Lakers are finally starting to turn things around. Thanks to Christie's rapid development, Los Angeles appears to be finding its rhythm.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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