As a kid growing up in New York, Donovan Mitchell idolised LeBron James. On Tuesday night, he upstaged him.
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Mitchell scored a season-high 43 points and Jarrett Allen returned from injury to add 24 to lead Cleveland to victory over the Lakers in James' only visit home this season.
The 37-year-old superstar enjoyed two successful spells with the Cavaliers and was welcomed back with a video tribute during an early timeout.
"You always want to spoil the homecoming," Mitchell said with a smile.
In Denver, Dorian Finney-Smith hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 17.3 seconds remaining as Josh Green's Dallas Mavericks rallied after squandering a late lead to beat the Denver Nuggets 116-115.
Nikola Jokic had a chance to tie the game with 12 seconds remaining, but missed the first of two free-throws, while Spencer Dinwiddie hit both of his to help seal the win for the Mavericks.
Sydneysider Green enjoyed 17 minutes of court-time as Tim Hardaway Jr scored a season-high 29 points and Luka Doncic recorded his 52nd career triple-double with 22 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
The Mavericks hardly looked weary as they played the second game of a back-to-back. They beat the Western Conference-leading Phoenix Suns the night before.
"A lot of great things happened," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. "It was a great game."
Aaron Gordon had 27 points, while Jokic added 19 points, eight assists and eight rebounds for the Nuggets, who dropped their third straight game.
Dallas appeared to have the game well in hand after taking a 111-101 lead with just over four minutes remaining but the Nuggets went on an 11-0 run and jumped in front on Bruce Brown's three-pointer.
It set the stage for Finney-Smith, who finished with 19 points.
In the day's other match, the Detroit Pistons eased past the Miami Heat 116-96.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 31 points, Alec Burks added 18 and the Pistons pulled away in the second half.
It was Detroit's biggest margin of victory this season. The Pistons had previously won only one game by more than seven points - a 128-114 triumph over Golden State on October 30.
Australian Associated Press
