EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Lakers won the first-ever in-season tournament a year ago, completing a perfect 7-0 run along the way. Can they do it again?

They won their first game in what is now called the NBA Cup, dropping the San Antonio Spurs, 120-115, thanks to 40 points from Anthony Davis and another triple-double from LeBron James.

Davis out-dueled San Antonio’s rising star Victor Wembanyama and James kept stiff-arming Father Time with 15 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists Friday at San Antonio.

Davis continues to succeed with a reddened left eye, the result of an accidental poke from a Toronto player earlier this week. He continues to play as well as any other NBA player this season and helped the Lakers improve to 8-4 overall.

Not only was he dominant in the paint, but also hit multiple three-pointers for a third game in a row. He scored 26 points in the first half, his most in a half since April 2003.

“Being aggressive, that’s all it is,” Davis told Spectrum SportsNet after the game. “My team is constantly encouraging me to be aggressive, shoot the three, be in attack mode all game. I felt great. I feel great right now.”

James, surprisingly, didn’t love his individual game.

He uncorked a fourth consecutive triple-double, something he’d never done in his 22-year career. He made it official with plenty of time to play — halfway through the third quarter — with his 10th assist, a feed to Austin Reaves for a three-pointer.

“I played like [expletive],” James said, perhaps annoyed by his seven turnovers. “I was not in a good rhythm.”

Whatever.

Austin Reaves continued to shine with 19 points and six assists while there were vitally important contributions from Max Christie.

It wasn’t exactly the start to the season envisioned by Christie, who signed a four-year, $32-million contract to stay with the Lakers. He’d failed to make a consistent impact over the first month and played all of three minutes over his previous three games.

But starter Rui Hachimura didn’t play because of a sprained ankle, which moved rookie Dalton Knecht into the starting lineup and bumped Christie back into the rotation.

Christie scored 11 points and was seemingly more confident on offense. He also had two steals, including one where he stepped in front of Wembanyama for a key steal.

“For Max to not be in the rotation for three games and to have the night he had, I’m happy for him,” Lakers Coach JJ Redick said. “He’s capable of doing that every night. I told him if you play that way, and I’ve seen it, I don’t want to take you off the court.”

Said Reaves: “Without him, we probably wouldn’t have won that game.”

Wembanyama didn’t disappoint Spurs fans with 28 points and 14 rebounds, but the night belonged to Davis and James, not to mention Christie.

The Lakers’ attempt to repeat as in-season champs was off to a good start.