The first day of the year gave us a game some of us had been looking forward to. The game between two teams in the Pacific Division, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns, and the former rose to the challenge, starting the year on a good note by winning their opponents, 117-107. The match earned the Los Angeles team their third consecutive win in a row.

The Lakers began the game on a good note, ending the first quarter 43-17. LeBron James and Anthony Davis were key in ensuring their teams win. James, who celebrated his 9000th assist on Monday in the fixture against the Dallas Mavericks was also voted as the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year.

Things got pretty ugly for the Lakers in the second and third quarter as the Suns tried to catch up with the score, lessening the gap between them. At a point, the Suns were seven points behind the Lakers. It was at that point that James and Davis had to step in to salvage the situation and put their team ahead again, eventually ending the game with a ten-point lead.

In a bid to start things on a good note, James ended his first game of the new decade with a triple-double, his eighth for the season, making 31 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists, while Davis scored 21 points and made 11 rebounds. Kyle Kuzma and Avery Bradley were also top scorers, making 19 and 18 points respectively.

Before the game, the Lakers team had to hold a minute silence, paying respect to former NBA commissioner, David Stern, who died on early Wednesday morning after suffering a brain hemorrhage. Speaking after the game, James highlighted just how important Stern had been to the progress of the NBA, increasing viewership and interest in the game.

The Lakers would face the New Orleans Pelicans next on Saturday, 4th of January.

Los Angeles Laker are fancied at 1.15 to dedeat New Orleans Pelicans, while Orleans are backed at 6.25

Written by: Leon Osamor