LOS ANGELES — He was the caboose during the Lakers’ pregame run onto the court, and he was the first one introduced before tip-off, drawing the loudest reactions of the night.

And with each flashy pass that assisted a teammate for a basket, the sold-out crowd of 18,997 inside Crypto.com Arena roared.

Because as much as Tuesday night was about another brilliant performance from Luka Doncic (37 points, 10 assists and five rebounds), who received “M-V-P” chants when he stepped up to the free-throw line, or the Lakers showcasing their offensive potential when they’re whole, the focus of the Lakers’ 140-126 victory over the Utah Jazz was LeBron James making his long-awaited debut to begin his unprecedented 23rd NBA season.

And by the time he subbed out midway through the fourth quarter, lead

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