• Obtain the NBA App
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — LeBron James, Anthony Davis and their supporting solid have the Los Angeles Lakers wanting like a harder out within the playoffs than they gave the impression to be only a few weeks earlier.
The New Orleans Pelicans, in the meantime, discover themselves getting ready to elimination and questioning in regards to the well being of star energy ahead Zion Williamson, whose dominant NBA postseason debut was minimize quick by an harm within the last minutes of a good recreation.
James had 23 factors, 9 assists and 9 rebounds, and the Lakers secured a playoff berth with a 110-106 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans within the Western Convention Play-In Match on Tuesday evening.
Williamson had 40 factors and 11 rebounds in his NBA postseason debut. However shortly after tying the sport at 95 on a driving layup with 3:19 to go, Williamson went to the locker room, throwing a towel to the ground in disgust as he walked into the tunnel with an obvious harm.
“I could not inform. I do not know if it was a knee or foot. Tomorrow, I am positive I will have extra of an replace of what is going on on with him.”
Pelicans HC Willie Inexperienced with an replace on Zion’s harm pic.twitter.com/TRfda8D3CA
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 17, 2024
After the sport, Pelicans coach Willie Inexperienced stated Williamson had “left leg soreness.” Williamson is slated to have additional testing on Wednesday to find out his standing for Friday’s Play-In elimination recreation vs. Sacramento.
“He’s going to have some imaging on it tomorrow and we’ll determine extra,” Inexperienced stated.
Quickly after Williamson went out, James hit a jumper, Davis dunked Austin Reaves’ alley-oop lob, DeAngelo Russell hit a 3 and Davis grabbed a vital offensive rebound, after which he hit two free throws to assist the Lakers maintain on.
The Pelicans will host the Sacramento Kings on Friday with the winner securing the No. 8 seed within the West.
“Clearly a tricky loss for us,” stated Inexperienced, whose crew might have clinched the sixth seed within the NBA playoffs on Sunday, however misplaced at residence to the Lakers, 124-108, organising Tuesday evening’s rematch within the play-in. “We’ve received to really feel this one tonight and regroup and prepare for one more one.”
Williamson, Inexperienced stated, was “improbable.”
“He settled into the sport. He simply continued to assault. He discovered seams. He rebounded the ball. He performed quick,” Inexperienced continued. “(If) we’ve got him for a number of extra minutes, possibly we’ve got an opportunity to tug this factor out.”
“It’s powerful,” Pelicans ahead Trey Murphy stated of watching Williamson exit the sport, per Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com. “Particularly with all the work he’s put in (to play in a career-best 70 video games throughout the common season). You would like the most effective for him. It positively sucks.”
Data from The Related Press was used on this report.