The Los Angeles Lakers’ spectacular week continues as they head to Memphis to face the Grizzlies on Wednesday.
After an exciting 150-145 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, by which they scored their highest level whole since 1987, the Lakers staged a outstanding comeback towards the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. Despite trailing by 19 factors within the fourth quarter, they rallied to win 128-124 in double extra time, securing their fourth consecutive win.
Notably, the Lakers achieved this with out LeBron James, who sat out on account of a left ankle damage. Anthony Davis led the cost with 34 factors and 23 rebounds, supported by Austin Reaves’ spectacular 29 factors, 14 rebounds and 10 assists, together with D’Angelo Russell’s 29 factors and 12 assists.
Los Angeles didn’t take the lead till Spencer Dinwiddie’s 3-pointer within the first extra time, giving them a 111-108 benefit. Russell’s two free throws on the finish of the primary extra time pressured a second extra time interval, the place the Lakers lastly secured the victory.
“It was high-level basketball,” Davis mentioned. “It was a fun game, a great game. Two teams competing. We know where we’re trying to get to and where we are in the standings. We’ve got to control what we can control, and that’s taking it one game at a time.”
With 10 video games remaining within the common season, the Lakers maintain the ninth spot within the Western Conference standings. If the season ended at the moment, they might host the Golden State Warriors within the 9 vs. 10 play-in sport, a rematch of final yr’s Western Conference semifinal sequence.
Looking forward to their assembly with Memphis on Wednesday, the Lakers will face the problem of the second night time of a back-to-back, following a sport by which Davis logged 52 minutes, Russell performed 50, and Reaves was on the court docket for 48. However, James is prone to return towards the Grizzlies.
In distinction to the Lakers, Memphis (24-48) ought to have the stamina benefit, having performed only one sport within the final 4 days.
Memphis suffered a 128-103 defeat in Denver on Monday, trailing by 25 factors at halftime and slicing the deficit to fifteen factors within the third quarter, however unable to get nearer.
“Obviously, we’ve fallen quite a bit throughout this season, but the spirit of the group has been great,” mentioned Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins. “The dialogue has been great on what we can build on for the rest of the season and going into next year.”
As they strategy the tip of the season, the Grizzlies hope to welcome again a key participant from their 50-plus-win seasons in every of the previous two years. Brandon Clarke, sidelined since tearing his left Achilles tendon final March, is nearing his season debut. Clarke performed in 237 video games (29 begins) over the earlier 4 seasons, averaging in double figures annually with Memphis. He was upgraded to questionable to return Wednesday towards Los Angeles.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
