The Los Angeles Lakers, led by LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and their supporting group, are looking more formidable in the playoffs than they did a few weeks ago.
As Zion Williamson, a great power forward, sustained an injury in the closing minutes of a close game, his dominant NBA postseason debut was cut short, the New Orleans Pelicans find themselves on the verge of elimination and worry about his health.
In the Western Conference play-in tournament on Tuesday night, the Lakers defeated the Pelicans 110-106 to guarantee a spot in the playoffs. James finished with 23 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds.
“We demonstrated our capabilities on the offensive and defensive ends tonight,” James said. His team has won 12 of its last 15 games to advance to the postseason. “We have a solid group in place right now, a solid rotation, a solid plan, and guys are showing up prepared to work.”
Williamson finished with 11 rebounds and 40 points. However, Williamson left the game with 3:19 remaining, tying it at 95 with a driving layup. He then proceeded to the locker room, apparently hurt, and threw a towel to the ground in disdain as he entered the tunnel.
Williamson suffered “left leg soreness,” according to Pelicans coach Willie Green, following the game.
Green stated, “We’ll find out more tomorrow after some imaging on it.”
James made a jumper, Davis slammed an alley-oop pass from Austin Reaves, DeAngelo Russell made a three-pointer, and Davis secured an important offensive rebound before making two free throws to help the Lakers hang on. All of this happened just after Williamson was benched.
The Pelicans dealt us some severe punches, according to Lakers head coach Darvin Ham. They continued to swing. We did not stop retaliating.
He continued, “It revealed a lot about us and what we’re made of.”
In the end, Davis had 15 rebounds and 20 points. Russell scored 21 points, making five long-range hits. Davis made eight of ten free shots, while James made ten.
In a replay of the Nuggets’ sweeping of the Lakers in the previous season’s Western Conference finals, the Lakers advance to play reigning champion Denver in the opening round. This Saturday night is game one.
On Friday, the Pelicans will play Sacramento, and the winner will receive the eighth seed in the Western Conference. In the latter play-in game on Wednesday night, Golden State was defeated by the Kings.
“Obviously a tough loss for us,” stated Green, whose team’s loss to the Lakers at home on Sunday, 124-108, set up a rematch in the play-in round. Green’s squad was poised to earn the sixth seed in the playoffs. “We need to process this one tonight, gather our thoughts, and prepare for the next one.”
Green called Williamson “fantastic.”
He got into the swing of things. He just kept attacking. He discovered seams. He pulled the ball back. He performed quickly,” Green went on. “Maybe we can get this worked out if we have him for a few more minutes.”
The Lakers made 14 of their 35 3-point attempts. Williamson didn’t have much assistance from the Pelicans’ typical high scorers, as the team made 9 of 29 shots from beyond the arc. After sitting out the final few minutes of the game, Brandon Ingram, who was playing in his second game following a 12-game hiatus due to a knee injury, missed 8 of 12 shots and finished with 11 points.
Green remarked, “I just like the group that was on the floor at that time.” “BI is still recovering and establishing his rhythm. I therefore didn’t want to press the matter.
CJ McCollum scored nine points after missing eleven of fifteen shots.
With 12 points and two 3-pointers from beyond 28 feet in the second half, Trey Murphy III helped New Orleans overcome an 18-point hole to tie the game.
Following Rui Hachimura’s layup in the third quarter, the Lakers took a 75-57 lead. But in the last 5:31 of the game, New Orleans even the score with a 19-8 victory over Los Angeles.
Williamson’s two layups ignited the charge. In the last second of the quarter, Murphy drew up a 31-foot 3-pointer, and Williamson’s free throw at the end of the frame made the score 83-76.
With 3:53 remaining, Williamson crushed Jose Alvarado’s alley-oop pass in transition to tie the game for the Pelicans at 93.
In an attempt to atone for their dismal performance against the Lakers on Sunday, the Pelicans had a strong first quarter, leading 34-28 after a three-pointer by Herb Jones.
Los Angeles took an early lead, outscoring New Orleans 34–16 in the second quarter. James, who had 15 points in the first half, made two free throws to put Los Angeles ahead 58–44.
Williamson dribbled nearly the whole length of the court in the closing seconds of the half to make a floating layup at the horn that tied the score at 60.
