NEW ORLEANS — The common season ended for the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday with Anthony Davis within the locker room receiving remedy for again spasms after being shoved whereas within the air late in L.A.’s 124-108 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Davis vowed he shall be again on the courtroom Tuesday when the postseason begins for the Lakers, who clinched the No. 8 seed and a spot within the Western Convention play-in event — a rematch with the No. 7 seed Pelicans. A primary-round berth towards the defending champion No. 2-seeded Denver Nuggets is on the road.
“Little question that I will play,” Davis stated after placing up 30 factors on 13-for-17 taking pictures, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and a pair of steals in 33 minutes.
The Lakers massive man — who missed most of two losses final week to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors after getting hit within the face within the Minnesota recreation — was dominant till there was 5:52 to go within the fourth quarter Sunday. That is when Pelicans ahead Larry Nance Jr. pushed Davis within the again whereas he was trying to seize the offensive rebound after Lakers guard Gabe Vincent missed a layup.
Davis stated the contact resulted in a “hyperextension” when he landed, including that his “again simply locked up.”
He took umbrage with Nance’s actions within the play.
“I used to be within the air,” Davis stated. “Clearly it is a harmful play. I do know he isn’t a grimy participant.”
Davis stated he would have pushed himself to proceed to play if it had been an in depth recreation in a must-win state of affairs. When he checked out with 5:22 remaining, limping towards the sideline earlier than receiving remedy from his athletic coach, Jon Ishop, L.A. was up by 21. The Lakers went on to win by 16.
Davis stated he plans to check out heating pads he may put on beneath his jersey to maintain his again unfastened Tuesday.
As nice as Davis was earlier than the setback, Lakers star LeBron James might need been even higher.
James logged his fifth triple-double of the season, ending with 28 factors, a season-high 17 assists, 11 rebounds and 5 steals.
James had 13 assists within the first half, probably the most he has ever had in a half in 1,492 profession video games over 21 years within the NBA.
“I simply learn the sport and I used to be simply discovering my teammates and I simply tried to place the ball on time and on track for both soar photographs or guys on the rim,” James stated. “I simply tried to be very environment friendly with my play.”
He additionally was the first defender on the Pelicans’ bruising Zion Williamson, serving to to restrict the explosive ahead to simply 12 factors on 4-for-13 taking pictures. Williamson dedicated 4 turnovers.
“He is a beast,” James stated. “I imply, it is virtually not possible to cease him so I simply tried to maintain a physique on him and simply tried to maintain it robust on him. He is an important participant, man.”
The Lakers got here into the day with a number of postseason situations potential, however due to a Phoenix Suns win over the Timberwolves, mixed with the win over the Pelicans, they locked up the No. 8 spot and one other highway recreation in New Orleans on Tuesday.
All whereas not needing to hop on a aircraft and fly to a different metropolis.
“Tuesday’s recreation goes to be extraordinarily arduous, extraordinarily troublesome, extraordinarily bodily,” James stated. “I’ve at all times recognized that, once you play a playoff collection — and I have a look at this like a two-game playoff collection — in case you win that first recreation, a group has a number of days to sort of sit on that feeling, or sit with that style of their mouth of defeat. So they’ll be extraordinarily prepared for us and we now have to come back in with the identical sense of urgency that we had the earlier recreation.”
The numbers again James up. Not counting the NBA bubble in 2020, when all video games had been performed in a impartial location, solely 19 of the 342 first-round collection in league historical past have began with the highway group going up 2-0, in line with ESPN Stats & Data.
L.A. is now 3-1 on the season towards New Orleans, together with two high-leverage conditions within the in-season event semifinals and Sunday’s recreation, when the Pelicans had an opportunity to keep away from the play-in event by clinching the No. 6 seed and a first-round berth towards Minnesota with a win.
“Simply lean into what we did nicely,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham stated of his group’s strategy for Tuesday. “Understanding that they could make changes by way of their matchups. And simply have a plan, a backup plan and an escape plan as soon as we see what their response is to what we have executed tonight.
“And so, the chess recreation has been ignited. And we’re all for it.”
 vows to play when Lakers' postseason begins. L.A. is now 3-1 on the season towards New Orleans){kind=link}