AP — MEMPHIS, Tenn. LeBron James contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds to Rui Hachimura’s career-high 29 points, including 21 in the second half, as Los Angeles defeated Memphis 128-112 in the first game of their Western Conference series on Sunday.
As the Lakers pulled away, Austin Reaves added 23 points, including nine straight in the final minutes. Anthony Davis had 22 points and 12 rebounds, and D’Angelo Russell had 19 points after scoring only two points in the Lakers’ play-in win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Memphis was led by Jaren Jackson Jr., who scored 31 points, and Desmond Bane, who scored 22. Ja Morant scored 18 points before departing in the fourth quarter with a right hand injury.
The seventh-seeded Lakers defeated the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies, who had the best home record in the NBA at 35-6.
SUNS 110, CLIPPERS 115
(AP) PHOENIX — Los Angeles defeated Phoenix in the first game of their West series thanks to 38 points from Kawhi Leonard, including a pair of late 3-pointers.
Eric Gordon scored 19 points and made a late three-pointer to keep the Clippers ahead. Russell Westbrook only shot 3 of 19 from the field for the Lakers, but he hit a pair of free throws with 17.7 seconds left to give the Clippers a three-point lead, then blocked Devin Booker’s layup attempt and swatted the ball off Booker to give the Clippers the ball with 10.1 seconds remaining.
Kevin Durant led the Suns to their first loss with him on the court, scoring 27 points. In February, Phoenix acquired the two-time NBA Finals MVP from Brooklyn, but injuries limited him to only eight games, all of which the Suns won.
Phoenix, which will aim to avoid falling behind 2-0 at home on Tuesday, received 26 points from Devin Booker.
Source: ironmountaindailynews.com
