After a disastrous loss to the Los Angeles Lakers to shut their common season, the New Orleans Pelicans sought redemption within the opening recreation of the NBA Play-In Event on Tuesday. As an alternative of redemption, the Pels acquired a high-intensity affair that led to a 110-106 loss after star Zion Williamson’s 40-point recreation and early exit.
With the win, the Lakers earned a gathering with the defending champion Nuggets in Denver on Saturday within the first spherical of the playoffs. The Pelicans will host the Sacramento Kings — who knocked off the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday — in an elimination matchup Friday.
LeBron James scored a team-high 23 factors, to go together with 9 assists and 9 rebounds. Lakers D’Angelo Russell, who scored 21 factors and added seven assists, was additionally instrumental within the victory, capturing 5 of 11 from 3. Former Pelican Anthony Davis put up 20 factors and notched a game-high 15 rebounds.
Williamson, whose 40 factors paced each groups, additionally completed with 11 rebounds and 5 assists. He walked to the locker room within the last minutes of the sport with what Pelicans coach Willie Inexperienced later described as left leg soreness.
However with Williamson, the Pelicans shook off their Sunday sluggishness with a back-and-forth evening. They carried a 10-point lead into the early seconds of the second quarter, however Los Angeles discovered its momentum earlier than the break and took a 10-point lead into halftime. From there, the Lakers stored constructing within the third as they continued to restrict CJ McCollum (9 factors whole) and Brandon Ingram (11 factors), who appeared off after enjoying in his second recreation again after lacking the earlier 12 video games with a knee damage.
The Pelicans lowered their 18-point deficit to seven factors coming into the fourth quarter, and located a spark from there, pushing to inside two factors after a 9-0 run that included a Williamson block on James that led to a Jose Alvarado 3. Alvarado then assisted Williamson on a monster dunk to tie the sport 93-93, however the Lakers finally put the sport away after Williamson’s shock exit with simply over three minutes left.
ALVARDO TO ZION.
WE ARE TIED IN THE #SoFiPlayIn.
4 minutes left on TNT. pic.twitter.com/h9HeKaObJt
— NBA (@NBA) April 17, 2024
How will Lakers fare in opposition to Nuggets?
This was a spirited win for the Lakers, who staved off the Pelicans’ second-half rally to safe the No. 7 seed and advance to face the No. 2 Nuggets in a rematch of final season’s Western Convention finals. The Lakers will definitely be heavy underdogs coming into the collection, however they’re assured that their new beginning lineup and high-powered offense will give them an opportunity to defeat the defending champions.
The apparent problem shall be fixing Denver’s crunch-time offense, which has shredded the Lakers over the previous calendar yr. Denver has gained eight straight video games in opposition to the Lakers coming into Recreation 1 on Saturday. — Jovan Buha, Lakers senior author
GO DEEPER
Win and face Denver, or lose and threat elimination? There is no flawed selection for Lakers
You should purchase tickets to each NBA recreation right here.
Required studying
(Picture: Jonathan Bachman / Getty Photographs)