оn Tuesdаy night, the Lоs аngeles Lаkers beаt the New оrleаns Pelicаns 110-106 in the Western Cоnference plаy-in tоurnаment. LeBrоn Jаmes hаd 23 pоints, nine аssists, аnd nine rebоunds, аnd the Lаkers clinched а spоt in the plаyоffs.
Making his NBA playoff debut, Zion Williamson scored 40 points while grabbing 11 rebounds. However, Williamson proceeded to the locker room, looking injured, after tying the game at 95 on a driving layup with 3 minutes and 19 seconds remaining. He threw a towel to the floor in disgust as he walked into the tunnel.
James quickly fоllоwed with a jumper, Anthоny Davis dunks an alley-ооp pass frоm Austin Reaves, DeAngelо Russell hits a 3-pоinter, and Davis helps the Lakers fend оff New оrleans by grabbing an оffensive rebоund and then hitting twо free thrоws.
Ten points and fifteen boards were Davis’s stats. Russell scored 21 points, with five long-range hits.
In the first round, the Lakers will meet the Nuggets, the defending NBA champions, in a rematch of the Western Conference finals from last season, in which Denver was swept. We play Game 1 on Saturday night.
On Friday, the winner of the other Western Conference play-in game—between Sacramento and Golden State—will face the Pelicans.From beyond the arc, the Lakers were just 14 for 35. The Pelicans’ typical high scorers were ineffective, and Williamson received no assistance from them as they shot 9 for 29 from outside the arc. With 11 points, Brandon Ingram was unable to convert 8 of his 12 attempts. Nine points were scored by CJ McCollum, who was unsuccessful on eleven out of fifteen attempts.
After falling behind by as many as 18 points in the first half, Trey Murphy III helped the Pelicans rally and tie the game with 12 points, two of which came from beyond 28 feet.
Upon Rui Hachimura’s third-quarter layup, the Lakers took a 75-57 lead. However, in the final 5 minutes and 31 seconds of the period, New Orleans scored 19 points to tie the game and put the game away for Los Angeles.
Williamson scored two layups to start the run. By the end of the third quarter, the score was 83–76 thanks to free throws by Williamson and a 3-pointer by Murphy from 31 feet out.
Williamson finally got the Pelicans on the board with 3 minutes and 53 seconds remaining when he knocked down an alley-oop lob from Jose Alvarado in breakaway, tying the score at 93.
The Pelicans looked to get back on track after finishing the regular season with a dismal 128-108 defeat to the Lakers on Sunday. They got off to a good start, leading 34-28 after a 3-pointer by Herb Jones.
But New Orleans only managed four 3-pointers out of sixteen attempts in the first half. The Lakers, on the other hand, were three for twenty in the first two quarters, led by Russell’s efforts.
James, who had 15 points in the first half, made two free throws to put Los Angeles up 58-44, and they went on to outscore New Orleans 34-16 in the second quarter.
Following an assist from Brandon Ingram on a backside cut for a slam, Williamson—who had 20 points in the first half—scored two inside baskets to bring New Orleans’ halftime deficit down to ten points. The game was tied at 50-50 in the waning seconds of the quarter when Williamson raced the length of the court while dribbling for a layup just before the buzzer sounded.
Coming up