LeBron James scores 30 POINTS in 133-89 blowout over the Pelicans to help Lakers advance to NBA In-Season Tournament finals... will face Pacers for NBA Cup

LeBron James led the Los Angeles Lakers in scoring to steamroll the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA In-Season Tournament semifinals on Thursday.

James parlayed his 30 points with five rebounds and eight assists as the Lakers secured the 133-89 win to advance to Saturday's final for the NBA Cup in Las Vegas. 

James shot an efficient 75 per cent from the field and made all four attempts from behind the arc in just over 22 minutes of play. 

Center Anthony Davis trailed behind James with 16 points and five assists but led the Lakers with 15 boards.

Rui Hachimura, D'Angelo Russell, Taurean Prince and Austin Reaves all contributed double-digit points with 12, 14, 15, and 17 points, respectively.

The Lakers will face the Indiana Pacers for the NBA Cup on Saturday night. Indiana upset the Milwaukee Bucks, 128-119, behind Tyrese Haliburton's 27-point effort to advance. 

The Pacers came off another upset against the Boston Celtics in the quarterfinals. 

Meanwhile, the Lakers advanced to the semis after a controversial win over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday. 

Late in the game, James was granted a timeout despite signaling for it during a loose ball. The call led fans to slam the referees and the NBA on social media as it allowed the Lakers to get the 106-103 win. 

In his 21st NBA season, James continues to prove Father Time wrong with spectacular performances. James averages 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game as the Lakers look to compete for another title.

The Lakers fell to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals earlier this year after eliminating the Golden State Warriors in the second round. 

The Lakers are currently 13-9 this season as the fifth-seeded team in the Western Conference.