The Los Angeles Lakers, fueled by 30 points from ageless LeBron James, routed the New Orleans Pelicans 133-89 on Thursday to reach the final of the inaugural NBA in-season tournament.
James and the Lakers will take on the upstart Indiana Pacers for the NBA Cup in Las Vegas on Saturday.
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James, who will celebrate his 39th birthday on December 30, was ruthlessly efficient, connecting on nine of his 12 attempts from the floor, including four-of-four from three-point range. He piled up his 30 points, with five rebounds and eight assists, in less than 23 minutes on the floor.
He sat out the entire fourth quarter as both teams pulled their starters. The Lakers had taken full control, out-scoring the shell-shocked Pelicans 43-17 in the third period.
The rest could come in handy when the Lakers face the high-octane Pacers, who beat the Milwaukee Bucks 128-119 in the other semi-final on Thursday.
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