Lakers upset Pelicans for No. 7 seed, will play Nuggets in first round of NBA Playoffs-ZoomTech News

LeBron James had 23 factors, 9 assists and 9 rebounds, and the Los Angeles 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.

Zion 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 damage.

Quickly after, James hit a jumper, Anthony Davis dunked Austin Reaves’ alley-oop lob, DeAngelo Russell hit a 3 and Davis grabbed an important offensive rebound, after which he hit two free throws to assist the Lakers maintain off New Orleans.

Davis had 20 factors and 15 rebounds. Russell scored 21, hitting 5 occasions from deep.

The Lakers advance to face defending NBA champion Denver within the first spherical in a rematch of final season’s Western Convention finals, which was swept by the Nuggets. Sport 1 is Saturday evening.

The Pelicans will tackle the winner of the opposite West play-in recreation between Golden State and Sacramento on Friday.

The Lakers went 14 of 35 from 3-point vary. The Pelicans hit 9 of 29 from deep and Williamson did not get numerous assist from the Pelicans’ standard excessive scorers. Brandon Ingram missed 8 of 12 photographs and completed with 11 factors. CJ McCollum missed 11 of 15 photographs and scored 9.

Trey Murphy III scored 12, hitting two 3s from past 28 toes within the second half to assist New Orleans come again to tie it from a deficit as giant as 18 factors.

The Lakers led 75-57 after Rui Hachimura’s layup within the third quarter. However New Orleans obtained again within the recreation by outscoring Los Angeles 19-8 in the course of the last 5:31 of the interval.

Williamson sparked the surge with a pair of layups. Murphy pulled up for a 31-foot 3-pointer within the last minute of the quarter and Williamson’s free throw made it 83-76 on the finish of the interval.

The Pelicans lastly tied it when Williamson slammed down Jose Alvarado’s alley-oop lob in transition to make it 93-all with 3:53 to go.

Trying to redeem themselves for a lackluster 128-108 loss to the Lakers in Sunday’s regular-season finale, the Pelicans put collectively a promising opening quarter and took a 34-28 lead on Herb Jones’ 3.

That, nonetheless, was one in all simply 4 3s — in 16 makes an attempt — that New Orleans hit within the first half. The Lakers, in the meantime, went 10 of 20 from deep in the course of the opening two durations, with Russell hitting three.

Los Angeles surged into the lead by outscoring New Orleans 34-16 within the second quarter, main by as many as 14 after James, who had 15 first half factors, hit a pair of free throws to make it 58-44.

Williamson, who had 20 first-half factors, lower New Orleans’ halftime deficit to 10 with a pair of inside baskets, beginning when Ingram discovered him on a bottom lower for a dunk. Within the last seconds of the interval, Williamson sprinting mot of the size of the courtroom on the dribble for layup on the horn that made it 60-50.

[Related: NBA Playoffs bold predictions: Clippers, Knicks headed for first-round upsets?]

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Lakers: Open their first-round playoff sequence at Denver on Saturday.

Pelicans: At residence Friday for the do-or-die Western Convention play-in finale in opposition to both Golden State or Sacramento. They usually may very well be with out Williamson.

Reporting by The Related Press.

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