LOS ANGELES — “He makes life easy, with his passing and his IQ.”

That’s how Deandre Ayton described playing with LeBron James for the first time, and his teammates agree. While there was a little rust early, LeBron wasn’t moving or playing like a 40-year-old who had just missed the first 14 games of the season with sciatica.

LeBron put up a double-double of 11 points and 12 assists in his first game back — and his passes looked especially sharp. He carved up the Jazz defense .

“I’m telling everybody, some of these passes, I didn’t even know he seen me cut,” Ayton said, “Just being at the right place, the right time, he’s finding you right away with sharp passes. And, like I said, he’s making your life easy.”

So easy that the Lakers pulled away in the second half for a comfortable

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