LOS ANGELES — LeBron James vowed to be higher for Friday’s Recreation 6 of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ first-round sequence in opposition to the Memphis Grizzlies.
He stored his phrase and his teammates stored up the stress on the Grizzlies from the opening tip, destroying the No. 2-seeded Grizzlies 125-85 to win the sequence 4-2.
It took James 17 pictures to make 5 in Recreation 5. On Friday, he made seven of his first eight, punctuating a dominant first-half efficiency with a two-handed reverse dunk in transition.
L.A. led by 17 on the half and James had 16 factors, yet another than his Recreation 5 whole. He completed with 22 factors, six assists and 5 rebounds and made historical past within the course of, profitable the fortieth playoff sequence of his profession, tying Derek Fisher for essentially the most all time.
“He is taking part in with a way of urgency,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham mentioned of the 20-year veteran earlier than the sport. “He is aware of there’s solely so many extra of those [postseason runs] he is going to have the ability to take part in. So he is positively been within the second.”
The second half of Recreation 6 was merely an prolonged celebration for the Crypto.com Enviornment crowd, with the Lakers main by as many as 40. The cheers have been a very long time coming, because the franchise accomplished its first residence win to shut out a playoff sequence since 2012, when it beat the Denver Nuggets in Recreation 7 within the first spherical.
Getting in on the redemption act with James was Lakers level guard D’Angelo Russell. After going 4-for-11 in Wednesday’s loss in Memphis, he was 5-for-8 within the first quarter alone. Russell completed with a game-high 31 factors on 12-for-17 taking pictures, setting a brand new profession playoff excessive in scoring. He broke out of a playoff droop in a giant approach, having by no means shot 50% or higher in a postseason recreation earlier than.
And he did it with Kyrie Irving, James’ previous Cleveland Cavaliers working mate, sitting courtside straight throughout from the Lakers’ bench.
Seemingly every part went the Lakers’ approach on Friday. Their offense shot 53.8% from the sphere. Their protection held Memphis to 30.2%.
Austin Reaves performed the ground recreation he has change into beloved for in L.A., placing up 11 factors, eight assists and 6 rebounds. Jarred Vanderbilt helped harass Grizzlies star Ja Morant right into a 3-for-16 taking pictures evening whereas going 3-for-8 on 3-points for 9 factors on the offensive. Rui Hachimura was efficient off the bench but once more, scoring six factors on 3-for-5 taking pictures, together with two dunks that had the sector rocking.
And Anthony Davis — whose harm woes personified the group’s disappointment the previous a number of seasons — acquired a gleeful “AD! AD!” chant from the group after scrambling off the courtroom to save lots of a free ball late within the third quarter with the Lakers up by 30.
Davis — who completed with 16 factors on 6-for-9 taking pictures, 14 rebounds and 5 blocks — raised each his arms within the air and beckoned the followers for extra.
Each groups pulled their starters with greater than 9 minutes remaining within the fourth quarter, with L.A. up 103-71. Blowout victories like Friday not often occurred for the Lakers through the common season, not to mention in essentially the most consequential matchup of the 12 months.
The Lakers grew to become the primary No. 7 seed to drag off an opening-round upset for the reason that San Antonio Spurs in 2010 and simply the sixth group ever to perform the feat. They await the winner of Recreation 7 between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors on Sunday to seek out out their second-round opponent.
After beginning the season 2-10, the Lakers have received 14 of their final 18 video games spanning the closing stretch of the common season to their play-in win over the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Grizzlies sequence.
The Lakers grew to become simply the second play-in match group, because it was launched in 2020, to advance to the second spherical, becoming a member of the Miami Heat, who downed the Milwaukee Bucks earlier within the week.
James and Davis improved to 5-0 in playoff sequence the place they’re each wholesome.
After the Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks referred to as James “previous” after the Lakers’ Recreation 2 loss in Memphis, L.A. received three of the following 4 video games.
James confronted Brooks on the courtroom earlier than Recreation 3 in L.A. A supply inside earshot of the dialog instructed ESPN James’ message to Brooks was, in essence, “Are you prepared for what’s coming for you tonight?”
Brooks wasn’t prepared. The Grizzlies weren’t prepared.
And the 38-year-old James’ postseason continues.