LOS ANGELES Lakers survived a fourth-quarter uprising by New Orleans Pelicans for a 110-106 triumph in the NBA Western Conference Play-in tournament on Tuesday night (Wednesday in the Philippines) at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
With the Lakers leading, 91-80, early in the fourth quarter, the Pelicans went on a massive uprising as they cut the deficit to 100-101 on a split free throw by Larry Nance Jr. with over a minute left in the game.
D’Angelo Russell then knocked in a three-pointer from the right corner to extend the Lakers’ lead to 104-100 before Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves connected their free throws to preserve the win.
LeBron James had a near triple-double numbers of 23 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists to go with three steals and two blocks, while Russell chipped in 21 markers, including five triples, for the Lakers.
Davis posted a double-double of 20 points and 15 rebounds, Reaves finished with 16 points, six assists, and five rebounds, and Rui Hachimura contributed 13 points in the win.
The No.7 ranked Lakers will next face the no.2 seed Denver Nuggets in a best-of-seven Western Conference first round series beginning on Saturday (Sunday in the Philippines).
Zion Williamson finished with 40 points and 15 rebounds before exiting late in the game with an injury. Trey Murphy III and Brandon Ingram added 12 and 11, while Nance, Herbert Jones, and Jose Alvarado ended with 10 each for the Pelicans.
The Pelicans, however, will still have a shot in the eighth and final Western Conference playoffs seat as it battle Sacramento Kings in a knockout game on Friday night (Saturday in the Philippines).
The Kings kept their post-season hopes alive after a 118-94 demolition of Golden State Warriors in a Western Conference play-in tournament among the 9th to 10th ranked squads.
Keegan Murray top-scored for the Kings with 32 points, including eight three-point conversions, to go with nine rebounds, while De’Aaron Fox added 24 markers./PN
BOX SCORE:
LOS ANGELES 110 — James 23, Russell 21, Davis 20, Reaves 16, Hachimura 13, Vincent 9, Prince 6, Hayes 2, Dinwiddie 0.
NEW ORLEANS 106 — Williamson 40, Murphy 12, Ingram 11, Jones 10, Alvarado 10, Nance 10, McCollum 9, Valanciunas 4, Daniels 0.
Quarterscores: 26-34, 60-50, 83-76, 110-106.
