The Los Angeles Lakers are ranked seventh in the Western Conference, Tuesday (16/4), local time. Visiting the Pelicans for the first Play-In Tournament game of the season, the Lakers won 110-106. This is the Lakers’ third win in three Play-In Tournaments. Every time they compete in the Play-In Tournament, the Lakers always finish in seventh place.
Even though their 18-point lead was reduced to a draw in the last three minutes, the Lakers managed to survive the Pelicans’ pursuit. D’Angelo Russell’s three-pointer with one minute remaining in the game was one of the crucial moments in the Lakers’ victory.
Previously, with three minutes remaining in the game, another crucial moment also occurred on the field after Zion Williamson went to the dressing room and stopped playing. In fact, Zion just scored 40 points. Until the end of the match, it was not known what injury Zion suffered after making a layup in front of Anthony Davis. Zion closed the game with a double-double of 40 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists on 17/27 shooting.
LeBron James led the Lakers with 23 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks. LeBron actually had quite a hard time in this game, especially in the fourth quarter where he only took 1/7 of his shots. However, LeBron covered that problem with a perfect 10/10 from the free throw line.
Russell closed the game with 21 points, 6 assists from 5/11 three points. Davis double-doubled 20 points and 15 rebounds. Davis made 8/10 free throws. Davis and LeBron’s total of 20 free throws is more than the Pelicans’ total of 15 free throws. The Lakers themselves got a total of 29 free shots (26 entered). Austin Reaves added 16 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, while Rui Hachimura had 13 points.
The Pelicans’ problem apart from Zion’s injury is the poor accuracy of their two other mainstay players, CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram. The two combined for just 20 points on 8/27 shooting. Ingram did not play the remaining eight minutes of the game while CJ returned to play after Zion was injured.
The Lakers will play the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the Playoffs. This is a repeat of last season’s Western Conference Finals series where the Nuggets emerged victorious with the final score (4-0). The Pelicans still have one more life against the winner of the second Western Conference Play-In Tournament game between the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors. (DRMK)