<p>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points to propel the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 113-110 NBA victory over LeBron James and the weary Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. Gilgeous-Alexander connected on 11 of 18 shots from the field and made all 10 of his free throws.</p>

<p>Jalen Williams scored 21 points and rookie center Chet Holmgren added 18 for the Thunder, who had seven players score in double figures. Anthony Davis led Los Angeles with 31 points and 14 rebounds. James had 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for the Lakers, who led by as many as 14 points in the first half but couldn't keep the pressure on in the second night of a back-to-back and with a bevy of players nursing injuries.</p>

<p>Oklahoma City out-scored Los Angeles 42-23 in the second quarter to lead 72-60 at halftime and never trailed the rest of the way. "I thought we played really good ball the first quarter," James said. "But after that you could start seeing the three in four (nights), back-to-back, the bodies that we don't have started to wear on us... especially versus a young team like OKC." In Chicago, the short-handed Bulls held off Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks 120-113 in overtime. Nikola Vucevic scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who were without injured Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan.</p>

<p>Alex Caruso drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to send it to overtime, and Caruso's steal set up Patrick Williams's dunk that capped the scoring in the extra session. A dunk by Antetokounmpo had put Milwaukee up 110-109 with 2:41 left in overtime, but Vucevic answered with a dunk that put Chicago up for good.</p>

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<p>Antetokounmpo shook off a slow start -- he scored just four points in the first half -- to lead the Bucks with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Brook Lopez scored 20, Malik Beasley added 19 and Damian Lillard had 18 for the Bucks, who trailed by 12 early in the fourth quarter but grabbed a 106-103 lead with 5.2sec left in regulation.</p>

<p>Miami's Jimmy Butler returned from a two-game injury absence and scored 24 of his 36 points in the second half to help the Heat rally for a 142-132 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Butler grabbed 10 rebounds and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr scored 24 points off the bench as the Heat withstood a 44-point performance from Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton.</p>

<p>The Heat trailed until the fourth quarter, but out-scored the Pacers 45-32 in the final frame. The Charlotte Hornets, who confirmed Thursday that LaMelo Ball will miss significant time with a sprained right ankle, got a morale-boosting 129-128 victory over the Nets in Brooklyn.</p>

<p>Terry Rozier scored 37 points for the Hornets, his step-back basket with 39.9sec remaining putting Charlotte up 129-126. Nic Claxton managed to cut the deficit with a layup, but Cam Johnson came up empty on a three-point attempt in the waning seconds and the Hornets escaped with the win.</p>

<h2>&nbsp;Pistons, Spurs still reeling</h2>

<p>Elsewhere, Jalen Brunson starred for the New York Knicks, scoring 42 points in a 118-112 victory over the reeling Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. The Pistons have now lost 16 straight -- including all 15 of their games in November.</p>

<p>San Antonio's skid continued, too, the Spurs dropping their 13th straight -- 137-135 to the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young scored a season-high 45 points for the Hawks. Jeremy Sochan scored 33 for San Antonio and rookie Victor Wembanyama added 21 points 12 rebounds and four blocked shots in the defeat.</p>

<p>The Portland Trail Blazers, trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, came alive after the break to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-95. Shaedon Sharpe scored 20 of his 29 points in the second half, Jerami Grant added 13 points and rookie Duop Reath chipped in 13 off the bench to help Portland mount their comeback.</p>


Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points to propel the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 113-110 NBA victory over LeBron James and the weary Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points to propel the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 113-110 NBA victory over LeBron James and the weary Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. Gilgeous-Alexander connected on 11 of 18 shots from the field and made all 10 of his free throws. Jalen Williams scored 21 points and rookie center Chet Holmgren added 18 for the Thunder, who had seven players score in double figures. Anthony Davis led Los Angeles with 31 points and 14 rebounds. James had 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists for the Lakers, who led by as many as 14 points in the first half but couldn't keep the pressure on in the second night of a back-to-back and with a bevy of players nursing injuries. Oklahoma City out-scored Los Angeles 42-23 in the second quarter to lead 72-60 at halftime and never trailed the rest of the way. "I thought we played really good ball the first quarter," James said. "But after that you could start seeing the three in four (nights), back-to-back, the bodies that we don't have started to wear on us... especially versus a young team like OKC." In Chicago, the short-handed Bulls held off Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks 120-113 in overtime. Nikola Vucevic scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Bulls, who were without injured Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. Alex Caruso drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to send it to overtime, and Caruso's steal set up Patrick Williams's dunk that capped the scoring in the extra session. A dunk by Antetokounmpo had put Milwaukee up 110-109 with 2:41 left in overtime, but Vucevic answered with a dunk that put Chicago up for good. Also Read: LeBron James' elder son Bronny James set to return to college basketball activities after cardiac arrest Antetokounmpo shook off a slow start -- he scored just four points in the first half -- to lead the Bucks with 26 points and 14 rebounds. Brook Lopez scored 20, Malik Beasley added 19 and Damian Lillard had 18 for the Bucks, who trailed by 12 early in the fourth quarter but grabbed a 106-103 lead with 5.2sec left in regulation. Miami's Jimmy Butler returned from a two-game injury absence and scored 24 of his 36 points in the second half to help the Heat rally for a 142-132 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Butler grabbed 10 rebounds and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr scored 24 points off the bench as the Heat withstood a 44-point performance from Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton. The Heat trailed until the fourth quarter, but out-scored the Pacers 45-32 in the final frame. The Charlotte Hornets, who confirmed Thursday that LaMelo Ball will miss significant time with a sprained right ankle, got a morale-boosting 129-128 victory over the Nets in Brooklyn. Terry Rozier scored 37 points for the Hornets, his step-back basket with 39.9sec remaining putting Charlotte up 129-126. Nic Claxton managed to cut the deficit with a layup, but Cam Johnson came up empty on a three-point attempt in the waning seconds and the Hornets escaped with the win. Pistons, Spurs still reeling Elsewhere, Jalen Brunson starred for the New York Knicks, scoring 42 points in a 118-112 victory over the reeling Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. The Pistons have now lost 16 straight -- including all 15 of their games in November. San Antonio's skid continued, too, the Spurs dropping their 13th straight -- 137-135 to the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young scored a season-high 45 points for the Hawks. Jeremy Sochan scored 33 for San Antonio and rookie Victor Wembanyama added 21 points 12 rebounds and four blocked shots in the defeat. The Portland Trail Blazers, trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, came alive after the break to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-95. Shaedon Sharpe scored 20 of his 29 points in the second half, Jerami Grant added 13 points and rookie Duop Reath chipped in 13 off the bench to help Portland mount their comeback.

NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 33 points helps Oklahoma City Thunder defeat Los Angeles Lakers

<p>Joel Embiid delivered his sixth NBA career triple double on Monday to lead Philadelphia to a 138-94 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Cameroonian's 30 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists helped inflict on LeBron James the most lopsided loss of his career. Embiid made nine-of-15 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from three-point range, and sank 10 of his 12 free throws. "You're trying to play winning basketball," Embiid said.&nbsp; "When my teammates are wide open, I want to get them easy shots, just make the game easy for myself."</p>

<p>The 29-year-old, seven-foot tall (2.13m) NBA Most Valuable Player last season notched his first triple double of the campaign in three quarters on the same night the 76ers made 22 three-pointers, one shy of the club record. Tyrese Maxey scored a game-high 31 points and added eight assists for the Sixers, who shot 47-of-93 from the floor and 22-of-46 from three-point range.</p>

<p>"We're playing together. We're having fun sharing the ball," Embiid said.&nbsp; "The ball is moving. We know what we've got to do. It starts on defense. Once you get stops, you get in transition and get easy baskets."</p>

<p>Four-time NBA MVP LeBron James, who led the Lakers with 18 points, suffered the heaviest defeat of his 21-year NBA career. Asked what needed to change for the Lakers, he replied: "A lot."</p>

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<h2>'A ton of threes'</h2>

<p>James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time NBA minutes played in regular season and playoffs combined at more than 66,300.</p>

<p>The scoreline eclipsed a 31-point win by the Syracuse Nationals, who moved to Philadelphia, over the then-Minneapolis Lakers in November 1951 as the biggest margin between the two franchises. Maxey went 5-of-12 from three-point range while Patrick Beverley was 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and Marcus Morris was 4-of-5 with three-point shots for the 76ers. "We want everyone to shoot a ton of threes and it paid off today," Beverley said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"When we get on the court it's easy. In practice we give each other hell." The Lakers, who had 17 points and 11 rebounds from Anthony Davis, hit their first four shots then missed 10 of their next 11, going more than four minutes without a basket, while the 76ers went on a 20-2 run.</p>

<p>Embiid scored seven and Maxey had six in the spurt as the hosts seized a 32-19 lead after the first quarter and a 68-53 halftime edge. Philadelphia improved to 12-5, one game behind Eastern Conference leader Boston, while the Lakers slid to 10-8.</p>

<p>Depleted defending NBA champion Denver, sparked by guard Reggie Jackson and 35-year-old center DeAndre Jordan, rallied late to beat the host Los Angeles Clippers 113-104. The shorthanded Nuggets were without two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic due to a back injury, forward Aaron Gordon with a sore right heel and guard Jamal Murray with a right hamstring injury.</p>

<p>Denver began the fourth quarter with a 22-6 run to grab a 99-94 lead and held off Los Angeles down the stretch. Two former Clippers powered Denver as Jackson had 35 points and 13 assists while Jordan added 21 points and 13 rebounds.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>&nbsp;Wizards win at last&nbsp;</h2>

<p>Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points to lead the Clippers. The Nuggets improved to 12-6, moving one game behind Western Conference leader Minnesota, while the Clippers fell to 7-9.</p>

<p>Host Utah edged New Orleans 114-112 as Keyonte George scored 19 points and Jordan Clarkson added 16 and 10 assists. Zion Williamson scored a game-high 26 points for the Pelicans while Brandon Ingram added 25.</p>

<p>In a matchup of the NBA's worst teams, Washington's Kyle Kuzma scored 32 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and added eight assists to spark the visiting Wizards over Detroit 126-107. Washington improved to 3-14 while Detroit, led by Cade Cunningham's 26 points, sank to a league-worst 2-15.</p>

<p>The Pistons' losing streak stretched to 14 games while the Wizards snapped a nine-game win drought. Portland's Jerami Grant scored 34 points and Bahamian center Deandre Ayton contributed 22 points and 13 rebounds to lift the Trail Blazers over host Indiana 114-110. Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 33 points.</p>


Joel Embiid delivered his sixth NBA career triple double on Monday to lead Philadelphia to a 138-94 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Cameroonian's 30 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists helped inflict on LeBron James the most lopsided loss of his career.

Joel Embiid delivered his sixth NBA career triple double on Monday to lead Philadelphia to a 138-94 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Cameroonian's 30 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists helped inflict on LeBron James the most lopsided loss of his career. Embiid made nine-of-15 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from three-point range, and sank 10 of his 12 free throws. "You're trying to play winning basketball," Embiid said. "When my teammates are wide open, I want to get them easy shots, just make the game easy for myself." The 29-year-old, seven-foot tall (2.13m) NBA Most Valuable Player last season notched his first triple double of the campaign in three quarters on the same night the 76ers made 22 three-pointers, one shy of the club record. Tyrese Maxey scored a game-high 31 points and added eight assists for the Sixers, who shot 47-of-93 from the floor and 22-of-46 from three-point range. "We're playing together. We're having fun sharing the ball," Embiid said. "The ball is moving. We know what we've got to do. It starts on defense. Once you get stops, you get in transition and get easy baskets." Four-time NBA MVP LeBron James, who led the Lakers with 18 points, suffered the heaviest defeat of his 21-year NBA career. Asked what needed to change for the Lakers, he replied: "A lot." Also Read: Global warming threatens Winter Olympics future, organisers soften demand in order to retain potential hosts 'A ton of threes' James passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the all-time NBA minutes played in regular season and playoffs combined at more than 66,300. The scoreline eclipsed a 31-point win by the Syracuse Nationals, who moved to Philadelphia, over the then-Minneapolis Lakers in November 1951 as the biggest margin between the two franchises. Maxey went 5-of-12 from three-point range while Patrick Beverley was 4-of-8 from beyond the arc and Marcus Morris was 4-of-5 with three-point shots for the 76ers. "We want everyone to shoot a ton of threes and it paid off today," Beverley said. "When we get on the court it's easy. In practice we give each other hell." The Lakers, who had 17 points and 11 rebounds from Anthony Davis, hit their first four shots then missed 10 of their next 11, going more than four minutes without a basket, while the 76ers went on a 20-2 run. Embiid scored seven and Maxey had six in the spurt as the hosts seized a 32-19 lead after the first quarter and a 68-53 halftime edge. Philadelphia improved to 12-5, one game behind Eastern Conference leader Boston, while the Lakers slid to 10-8. Depleted defending NBA champion Denver, sparked by guard Reggie Jackson and 35-year-old center DeAndre Jordan, rallied late to beat the host Los Angeles Clippers 113-104. The shorthanded Nuggets were without two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic due to a back injury, forward Aaron Gordon with a sore right heel and guard Jamal Murray with a right hamstring injury. Denver began the fourth quarter with a 22-6 run to grab a 99-94 lead and held off Los Angeles down the stretch. Two former Clippers powered Denver as Jackson had 35 points and 13 assists while Jordan added 21 points and 13 rebounds. Wizards win at last Kawhi Leonard scored 31 points to lead the Clippers. The Nuggets improved to 12-6, moving one game behind Western Conference leader Minnesota, while the Clippers fell to 7-9. Host Utah edged New Orleans 114-112 as Keyonte George scored 19 points and Jordan Clarkson added 16 and 10 assists. Zion Williamson scored a game-high 26 points for the Pelicans while Brandon Ingram added 25. In a matchup of the NBA's worst teams, Washington's Kyle Kuzma scored 32 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and added eight assists to spark the visiting Wizards over Detroit 126-107. Washington improved to 3-14 while Detroit, led by Cade Cunningham's 26 points, sank to a league-worst 2-15. The Pistons' losing streak stretched to 14 games while the Wizards snapped a nine-game win drought. Portland's Jerami Grant scored 34 points and Bahamian center Deandre Ayton contributed 22 points and 13 rebounds to lift the Trail Blazers over host Indiana 114-110. Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 33 points.

NBA: Joel Embiid stars as Philadelphia 76ers defeat Los Angeles Lakers

<p>Los Angeles big man Anthony Davis scored 23 of his season-high 32 points in the second half on Saturday as the Lakers earned a third straight NBA road win with a hard-fought 121-115 victory over the Cavaliers in Cleveland.</p>

<p>Davis added 13 rebounds and three blocked shots, helping the Lakers overcome a slow shooting night from superstar LeBron James against his former club, which honored the league's all-time leading scorer with a video tribute in the first quarter.</p>

<p>James connected on just eight of 23 shots -- one of nine from three-point range -- on the way to 22 points in a nip-and-tuck game that featured 16 lead changes and never saw either team push its lead to double digits.</p>

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<p>The Cavs' 40-point first quarter saw them up by just five, and they led 71-70 at halftime.</p>

<p>Davis's layup -- after he rebounded a James miss, put the Lakers up 111-103 with 3:48 to play.</p>

<p>The Cavaliers cut the deficit to one with less than two minutes remaining, but James drove for a layup, came up with a steal and threw down a dunk and the Lakers held on.</p>

<p>"We just had to impose our will in the defensive end," Davis said, acknowledging the Lakers benefitted from the second-half absence of Cleveland's Darius Garland, who departed early with a neck injury.</p>

<p>But he hailed a "total team win" after seven of the eight Lakers players who took the court scored in double figures.</p>

<p>Donovan Mitchell, back after missing four games with a hamstring injury, finished with 22 points and Jarrett Allen added 21 points and 14 rebounds for the Cavs.</p>

<p>In Oklahoma City, Philadelphia's NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid scored 35 points and drained six free throws in the final 9.8 seconds to help the 76ers hold off the Thunder 127-123.</p>

<p>Embiid came up just shy of his first triple-double of the season, adding 11 rebounds and nine assists to go with four blocked shots and a steal to help the Sixers end the Thunder's six-game winning streak.</p>

<p>Up by nine with 49 seconds remaining, the Sixers saw their lead cut to 121-118 on rookie center Chet Holmgren's dunk with 11.1 seconds to go.</p>

<p>Embiid made two free throws, and he responded again at the line after Holmgren twice cut the deficit to two points.</p>

<p>"Obviously he put the game away," Sixers coach Nick Nurse said of Embiid, but he added that in a league where late charges have become the norm, the Sixers have to finish better.</p>

<p>"Great performance, a lot of good stuff, et cetera," he said. "But as everybody's seeing around the league, there's a lot of wild finishes in the games. We've got to make sure we stay locked in."</p>

<h2>Holmgren impresses</h2>

<p>Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points and eight rebounds, and Tobias Harris added 16 points for Philadelphia.</p>

<p>Holmgren delivered another impressive performance, leading the Thunder with 33 points to go with six rebounds and three blocked shots.</p>

<p>Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 for the Thunder and guard Josh Giddey finished with 10 points seven rebounds and eight assists.</p>

<p>Giddey started despite an investigation by the NBA into an accusation that surfaced on social media that he had an improper relationship with an underage girl.</p>

<p>The 21-year-old Australian player has declined to comment on the matter, while Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said Friday that it was now "a league matter."</p>

<p>In other games, the Brooklyn Nets snapped a three-game losing streak with a 112-97 victory over the short-handed Miami Heat.</p>

<p>Mikal Bridges scored 24 points and Cam Johnson added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who had all five starters score in double figures.</p>

<p>Caleb Martin scored 22 off the bench to lead Miami and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 18 for the Heat, who played without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo one day after surrendering a 21-point lead in a loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.</p>


Los Angeles big man Anthony Davis scored 23 of his season-high 32 points in the second half on Saturday as the Lakers earned a third straight NBA road win with a hard-fought 121-115 victory over the Cavaliers in Cleveland.

Los Angeles big man Anthony Davis scored 23 of his season-high 32 points in the second half on Saturday as the Lakers earned a third straight NBA road win with a hard-fought 121-115 victory over the Cavaliers in Cleveland. Davis added 13 rebounds and three blocked shots, helping the Lakers overcome a slow shooting night from superstar LeBron James against his former club, which honored the league's all-time leading scorer with a video tribute in the first quarter. James connected on just eight of 23 shots -- one of nine from three-point range -- on the way to 22 points in a nip-and-tuck game that featured 16 lead changes and never saw either team push its lead to double digits. Also Read: BCCI inclined towards appointing new India coach despite intense talks with Rahul Dravid The Cavs' 40-point first quarter saw them up by just five, and they led 71-70 at halftime. Davis's layup -- after he rebounded a James miss, put the Lakers up 111-103 with 3:48 to play. The Cavaliers cut the deficit to one with less than two minutes remaining, but James drove for a layup, came up with a steal and threw down a dunk and the Lakers held on. "We just had to impose our will in the defensive end," Davis said, acknowledging the Lakers benefitted from the second-half absence of Cleveland's Darius Garland, who departed early with a neck injury. But he hailed a "total team win" after seven of the eight Lakers players who took the court scored in double figures. Donovan Mitchell, back after missing four games with a hamstring injury, finished with 22 points and Jarrett Allen added 21 points and 14 rebounds for the Cavs. In Oklahoma City, Philadelphia's NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid scored 35 points and drained six free throws in the final 9.8 seconds to help the 76ers hold off the Thunder 127-123. Embiid came up just shy of his first triple-double of the season, adding 11 rebounds and nine assists to go with four blocked shots and a steal to help the Sixers end the Thunder's six-game winning streak. Up by nine with 49 seconds remaining, the Sixers saw their lead cut to 121-118 on rookie center Chet Holmgren's dunk with 11.1 seconds to go. Embiid made two free throws, and he responded again at the line after Holmgren twice cut the deficit to two points. "Obviously he put the game away," Sixers coach Nick Nurse said of Embiid, but he added that in a league where late charges have become the norm, the Sixers have to finish better. "Great performance, a lot of good stuff, et cetera," he said. "But as everybody's seeing around the league, there's a lot of wild finishes in the games. We've got to make sure we stay locked in." Holmgren impresses Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points and eight rebounds, and Tobias Harris added 16 points for Philadelphia. Holmgren delivered another impressive performance, leading the Thunder with 33 points to go with six rebounds and three blocked shots. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 for the Thunder and guard Josh Giddey finished with 10 points seven rebounds and eight assists. Giddey started despite an investigation by the NBA into an accusation that surfaced on social media that he had an improper relationship with an underage girl. The 21-year-old Australian player has declined to comment on the matter, while Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said Friday that it was now "a league matter." In other games, the Brooklyn Nets snapped a three-game losing streak with a 112-97 victory over the short-handed Miami Heat. Mikal Bridges scored 24 points and Cam Johnson added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets, who had all five starters score in double figures. Caleb Martin scored 22 off the bench to lead Miami and rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 18 for the Heat, who played without Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo one day after surrendering a 21-point lead in a loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Lakers beat Cavaliers for third straight win on road; 76ers hold off Oklahoma City Thunder

<p>NBA star Anthony Davis has signed the maximum contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. The forward, who was pivotal in the Lakers' &nbsp;2020 NBA Championship-winning season, signed the deal for a whopping $186 million, reported ESPN citing Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul. The deal, worth $62 million per season, is the richest extension in NBA history.</p>

<p>Davis already had two years and $84 million left on his contract and after the new deal, he's going to stay with the Lakers till 2028, earning a staggering $270 million. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and Paul moved quickly to secure the services of Davis, who had become eligible for contract extension on Friday, August 4.</p>

<p>Davis has been a force to reckon with Lakers, averaging 26.1, 21.8, 23.2 and 25.9 points per game in his last four seasons, since coming to Los Angeles in 2019. The forward also had 9.3, 7.9, 9.9 &amp; 12.5 rebounds per game in those four seasons as well.</p>

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<p>Davis has crossed 25 points and two blocks per season twice in the last four years, in 2019-20 and 2022-23. Overall, Davis has achieved the feat five times in NBA career, third highest behind Shaquille O'Neal and Kareen Abdul-Jabbar, as per ESPN Stats and Information.</p>

<p>The 30-year-old had arrived in the Hollywood from the New Orleans Pelicans in a blockbuster deal and instantly made an impact alongside NBA superstar LeBron James as the Lakers won the NBA Championship in 2020.</p>

<p>In last season, which ended in the Playoffs for the Lakers, Davis averaged 26 points, 12.5 points and 2 blocks per game.</p>

<p>Davis, number one pick of the 2012 NBA Draft, played with New Orleans eight seasons since his debut in 2012-13 before joining the Lakers. Overall, the forward has played in 660 games averaging 24 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks per game as well.&nbsp;</p>

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NBA star Anthony Davis has signed the maximum contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. The forward, who was pivotal in the Lakers' 2020 NBA Championship-winning season, signed the deal for a whopping $186 million, reported ESPN citing Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul.

NBA star Anthony Davis has signed the maximum contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. The forward, who was pivotal in the Lakers' 2020 NBA Championship-winning season, signed the deal for a whopping $186 million, reported ESPN citing Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul. The deal, worth $62 million per season, is the richest extension in NBA history. Davis already had two years and $84 million left on his contract and after the new deal, he's going to stay with the Lakers till 2028, earning a staggering $270 million. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and Paul moved quickly to secure the services of Davis, who had become eligible for contract extension on Friday, August 4. Davis has been a force to reckon with Lakers, averaging 26.1, 21.8, 23.2 and 25.9 points per game in his last four seasons, since coming to Los Angeles in 2019. The forward also had 9.3, 7.9, 9.9 & 12.5 rebounds per game in those four seasons as well. Also Read: USA gymnast Simone Biles prepares for return for first time since Tokyo Games Davis has crossed 25 points and two blocks per season twice in the last four years, in 2019-20 and 2022-23. Overall, Davis has achieved the feat five times in NBA career, third highest behind Shaquille O'Neal and Kareen Abdul-Jabbar, as per ESPN Stats and Information. The 30-year-old had arrived in the Hollywood from the New Orleans Pelicans in a blockbuster deal and instantly made an impact alongside NBA superstar LeBron James as the Lakers won the NBA Championship in 2020. In last season, which ended in the Playoffs for the Lakers, Davis averaged 26 points, 12.5 points and 2 blocks per game. Davis, number one pick of the 2012 NBA Draft, played with New Orleans eight seasons since his debut in 2012-13 before joining the Lakers. Overall, the forward has played in 660 games averaging 24 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks per game as well. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: Anthony Davis, Lakers sign league's richest annual extension worth $62 million per season for three years

<p>Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma has decided not to take his $13 million player option. Kuzma instead, has decided to become a free agent, reported ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Tuesday citing sources.</p>

<p>The decision will make Kuzma one of the prominent names in the upcoming free agency. The forward, who had won the NBA Championship in 2019-20 with the Lakers, had joined the Wizards in 2021-22. Kuzma had his best season in 2022-23, scoring 21.2 points per game on an average along with 7.2 rebounds as well. Kuzma made his NBA debut in 2017-18.</p>

<p>The player, however, isn't averse to staying in Washington, as he had told reporters in April this year.</p>

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<p>"It's 100 per cent an option. ... I've had a great time here," Kuzma had said about staying in Washington. "I've developed my game significantly here, and there's good people here. I'd be a fool to say it's not an option for me," he had added.</p>

<p>Kuzma, who started with the Lakers in 2017, averaged 16 points per game in his rookie year. The No. 27 pick in the 2017 NBA draft scaled his game up in his second season with nearly 19 points per game on average. The youngster, however, went into the shadows after Anthony Davis joined the Lakers. Kuzma was eventually traded to Washington as part of the Russell Westbrook trade.</p>

<p>Talking about what he expects from his next team, Kuzma had said in April that he's just looking to get better every year.</p>

<p>"I'm trying to get better every year," Kuzma said in April. "It's not about money, I'm going to get paid regardless anywhere [I go] and here, too. It's about can I come into work every day and be the best version of myself, can I help lead guys, can I make other players better, can I light up rooms? All those things matter when you're trying to be successful," Kuzma had said.</p>

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Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma has decided not to take his $13 million player option. Kuzma instead, has decided to become a free agent, reported ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Tuesday citing sources.

Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma has decided not to take his $13 million player option. Kuzma instead, has decided to become a free agent, reported ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Tuesday citing sources. The decision will make Kuzma one of the prominent names in the upcoming free agency. The forward, who had won the NBA Championship in 2019-20 with the Lakers, had joined the Wizards in 2021-22. Kuzma had his best season in 2022-23, scoring 21.2 points per game on an average along with 7.2 rebounds as well. Kuzma made his NBA debut in 2017-18. The player, however, isn't averse to staying in Washington, as he had told reporters in April this year. Also Read: Heat shift focus on Damian Lillard after failing to get Bradley Beal "It's 100 per cent an option. ... I've had a great time here," Kuzma had said about staying in Washington. "I've developed my game significantly here, and there's good people here. I'd be a fool to say it's not an option for me," he had added. Kuzma, who started with the Lakers in 2017, averaged 16 points per game in his rookie year. The No. 27 pick in the 2017 NBA draft scaled his game up in his second season with nearly 19 points per game on average. The youngster, however, went into the shadows after Anthony Davis joined the Lakers. Kuzma was eventually traded to Washington as part of the Russell Westbrook trade. Talking about what he expects from his next team, Kuzma had said in April that he's just looking to get better every year. "I'm trying to get better every year," Kuzma said in April. "It's not about money, I'm going to get paid regardless anywhere [I go] and here, too. It's about can I come into work every day and be the best version of myself, can I help lead guys, can I make other players better, can I light up rooms? All those things matter when you're trying to be successful," Kuzma had said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: Washington Wizards' Kyle Kuzma declines player option, to hit free agency - Report

<p>Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, after exit from the 2023 Western Conference Finals, said that he's not sure of returning for the 21st season. The 38-year-old Lakers star, who had a monster 1st half in Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, scoring 31 points, said that he's got a lot to think about.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“We’ll see what happens going forward,” James said. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about,” he added.</p>

<h2><strong>It was a challenging season - LeBron</strong></h2>

<p>James was out for a month due to a foot injury and came back strongly for the postseason but said that it was a very challenging season for him.</p>

<p>“It’s all about availability for me and keeping my mind sharp, and things of that nature,” James said. “Being present on the floor, being present in the locker room and bus rides and plane rides, things of that nature. It’s challenging, for sure. It was a very challenging season for me, for our ballclub, and obviously we know whatever went on early on (in the Lakers’ 2-10 start to the season). It was cool, a pretty cool ride,” he said.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/2023-nba-east-finals-tatum-leads-celtics-past-heat-in-game-4-to-keep-series-alive-595805">2023 NBA East Finals: Tatum leads Celtics past Heat in Game 4 to keep series alive</a></p>

<h2><strong>I'll reflect when done playing: LeBron</strong></h2>

<p>Asked to reflect on his 20th season, LeBron said he'll do that once he's done playing ball for good and wants to be available for his teammates as of now.</p>

<p>“I guess I’ll reflect on my career when I’m done, but I don’t know,” said LeBron. “The only thing I concern myself with is being available to my teammates, and I don’t like the fact that I didn’t play as many games as I would have liked because of injury. That’s the only thing I care about, is being available to my teammates,” he concluded.</p>

<p>LeBron, notably, is the all-time leading scorer in the NBA, having surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar earlier this season. James also has the most career playoff points in record 282 games with NBA great Michael Jordan being a distant second.</p>

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Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, after exit from the 2023 Western Conference Finals, said that he's not sure of returning for the 21st season. The 38-year-old Lakers star, who had a monster 1st half in Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, scoring 31 points, said that he's got a lot to think about.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, after exit from the 2023 Western Conference Finals, said that he's not sure of returning for the 21st season. The 38-year-old Lakers star, who had a monster 1st half in Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets, scoring 31 points, said that he's got a lot to think about. “We’ll see what happens going forward,” James said. “I don’t know. I don’t know. I’ve got a lot to think about, to be honest. Just for me personally going forward with the game of basketball, I’ve got a lot to think about,” he added. It was a challenging season - LeBron James was out for a month due to a foot injury and came back strongly for the postseason but said that it was a very challenging season for him. “It’s all about availability for me and keeping my mind sharp, and things of that nature,” James said. “Being present on the floor, being present in the locker room and bus rides and plane rides, things of that nature. It’s challenging, for sure. It was a very challenging season for me, for our ballclub, and obviously we know whatever went on early on (in the Lakers’ 2-10 start to the season). It was cool, a pretty cool ride,” he said. Also Read: 2023 NBA East Finals: Tatum leads Celtics past Heat in Game 4 to keep series alive I'll reflect when done playing: LeBron Asked to reflect on his 20th season, LeBron said he'll do that once he's done playing ball for good and wants to be available for his teammates as of now. “I guess I’ll reflect on my career when I’m done, but I don’t know,” said LeBron. “The only thing I concern myself with is being available to my teammates, and I don’t like the fact that I didn’t play as many games as I would have liked because of injury. That’s the only thing I care about, is being available to my teammates,” he concluded. LeBron, notably, is the all-time leading scorer in the NBA, having surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar earlier this season. James also has the most career playoff points in record 282 games with NBA great Michael Jordan being a distant second. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: Lakers' LeBron James 'not sure' of returning next season after exit from West Finals

<p>Nikola Jokic passed Wilt Chamberlain as he recorded his eighth playoff triple-double (30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists)&nbsp;in 2023 - the most in one playoff season as the Denver Nuggets came from behind to beat the LA Lakers 113-111 in Game 4. The Nuggets won the series 4-0 and booked their maiden NBA Finals berth in the history of franchise.</p>

<p>LeBron James, however, ensured that the Nuggets earn their win as he scored 8,000 career playoff point and set the record for most points in any half in a playoff game as he raced to 31 point in the first two quarters.</p>

<h2><strong>LeBron runs the show in 1Q</strong></h2>

<p>Lakers superstar LeBron James ran the show in the first quarter, scoring 21 of 34 points LA amassed. James, looking determined to make the game count, drained all four of his attempted threes and went 7-for-9 in FGs as Los Angeles took a six-point lead in the first quarter of the game.</p>

<p>Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the enforcer for the Nuggets, scoring 10 points including a three 3Ps. Apart from him, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon scored six points each as Denver scored 28 first quarter points. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-great-carmelo-anthony-confirms-retirement-595295">NBA great Carmelo&nbsp;Anthony confirms retirement</a></p>

<h2><strong>Vintage LeBron owns Nuggets</strong></h2>

<p>LeBron James showed up in playoff mode for the first time in the series as he added 10 more points to his name to go at 31 by the half-time apart from four assists and four rebounds he took by the end of second quarter.</p>

<p>Denver kept fighting with Jokic scoring 13 and Murray scoring nine points in the quarter. All the efforts by Denver, however, fell short before James who just looked unstoppable and ran the game on it own.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Determined to keep the series going, Lakers were leading by 15 points after the first two quarters as the box score read 73-58 in their favour.</p>

<h2><strong>Real Denver shows up in 3Q</strong></h2>

<p>In a complete turnaround of the game, the Nuggets not only wiped off the entire LA lead of 15 points but now lead by five points with the scores reading 94-89 in their favour. The Lakers simply had no answer to all guns blazing Nuggets as they started with a 9-2 run which turned into 18-4 and then 20-8 with almost half the quarter gone.</p>

<p>Jokic had eight points in the quarter as he raced to 23 in total and Jamal Murray also reaching 20-point mark. LeBron, on the other side, kept scoring for LA but could add just six in 3Q as Denver scored 36 against Lakers' 16 points.</p>

<h2><strong>Battle of will in 4Q</strong></h2>

<p>Both the teams went neck-to-neck in 4Q, scoring 13 points each with just about 3 and a half minutes to go in the game. Denver, however, had the lead of five points and they held onto it dearly. The Lakers kept pushing and pushing and ties the game first at 102 each and then at 111 each, both time with FTs by Anthony Davis. Jokic's 2-point lay-up then proved enough to Denver and too much for the Lakers.</p>

<h2><strong>Top scorers of Game 4</strong></h2>

<p>LeBron James top scored in the game from both sides with 40 points and 10 rebounds. Apart from him, Austin Reaves scored 17, Dennis Schroder scored 13 and Anthony Davis chipped in with a double-double of 21 points and 14 rebounds. For the Nuggets, apart from Jokic's triple-double, Jamal Murray dropped 25 and Aaron Gordon scored 22.</p>

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Nikola Jokic passed Wilt Chamberlain as he recorded his eighth playoff triple-double (30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists) in 2023 - the most in one playoff season as the Denver Nuggets came from behind to beat the LA Lakers 113-111 in Game 4.

Nikola Jokic passed Wilt Chamberlain as he recorded his eighth playoff triple-double (30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists) in 2023 - the most in one playoff season as the Denver Nuggets came from behind to beat the LA Lakers 113-111 in Game 4. The Nuggets won the series 4-0 and booked their maiden NBA Finals berth in the history of franchise. LeBron James, however, ensured that the Nuggets earn their win as he scored 8,000 career playoff point and set the record for most points in any half in a playoff game as he raced to 31 point in the first two quarters. LeBron runs the show in 1Q Lakers superstar LeBron James ran the show in the first quarter, scoring 21 of 34 points LA amassed. James, looking determined to make the game count, drained all four of his attempted threes and went 7-for-9 in FGs as Los Angeles took a six-point lead in the first quarter of the game. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the enforcer for the Nuggets, scoring 10 points including a three 3Ps. Apart from him, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon scored six points each as Denver scored 28 first quarter points. Also Read: NBA great Carmelo Anthony confirms retirement Vintage LeBron owns Nuggets LeBron James showed up in playoff mode for the first time in the series as he added 10 more points to his name to go at 31 by the half-time apart from four assists and four rebounds he took by the end of second quarter. Denver kept fighting with Jokic scoring 13 and Murray scoring nine points in the quarter. All the efforts by Denver, however, fell short before James who just looked unstoppable and ran the game on it own. Determined to keep the series going, Lakers were leading by 15 points after the first two quarters as the box score read 73-58 in their favour. Real Denver shows up in 3Q In a complete turnaround of the game, the Nuggets not only wiped off the entire LA lead of 15 points but now lead by five points with the scores reading 94-89 in their favour. The Lakers simply had no answer to all guns blazing Nuggets as they started with a 9-2 run which turned into 18-4 and then 20-8 with almost half the quarter gone. Jokic had eight points in the quarter as he raced to 23 in total and Jamal Murray also reaching 20-point mark. LeBron, on the other side, kept scoring for LA but could add just six in 3Q as Denver scored 36 against Lakers' 16 points. Battle of will in 4Q Both the teams went neck-to-neck in 4Q, scoring 13 points each with just about 3 and a half minutes to go in the game. Denver, however, had the lead of five points and they held onto it dearly. The Lakers kept pushing and pushing and ties the game first at 102 each and then at 111 each, both time with FTs by Anthony Davis. Jokic's 2-point lay-up then proved enough to Denver and too much for the Lakers. Top scorers of Game 4 LeBron James top scored in the game from both sides with 40 points and 10 rebounds. Apart from him, Austin Reaves scored 17, Dennis Schroder scored 13 and Anthony Davis chipped in with a double-double of 21 points and 14 rebounds. For the Nuggets, apart from Jokic's triple-double, Jamal Murray dropped 25 and Aaron Gordon scored 22. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

2023 NBA West Finals: Nuggets beat Lakers in Game 4 to book maiden NBA Finals berth

<p>A 13-4 run in 4Q gave Denver Nuggets another win as they beat Los Angeles Lakers 119-108 at crypto.com arena to take a 3-0 lead in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.</p>

<p>Jamal Murray dropped 37 points in the game with Nikola Jokic scoring 24 and Michael Porter Jr. getting a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds as Denver take themselves to one-game distance from NBA Championship series.</p>

<h2><strong>Murray shines bright in 1Q</strong></h2>

<p>Jamal Murray dropped 17 points in the first quarter with three rebounds and was 8 of 10 in field goals including a three-pointer as the Nuggets got a 12-point lead. For the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored nine and LeBron scored five as they scored 20 points against Denver's 32.</p>

<h2><strong>Lakers charge in 2Q</strong></h2>

<p>Los Angeles came charging in 2Q with a 14-6 run before they ran into Jamal Murray again who added his first nine points of the quarter with three 3Ps. The Nuggets star scored 13 points in total in 2Q to reach 30 by half-time. For the Lakers, Austin Reeves reached 15 points and so did Anthony Davis along with 11 rebounds &nbsp;to notch up a double-double. The game moved at frantic pace with a last-minute assist by Murray kept Nuggets ahead by three points even though Lakers dropped 35 points against Denver's 26.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-arsenals-defeat-to-nottingham-forrest-hands-man-city-third-consecutive-title-594578">Premier League: Arsenal's defeat to Nottingham Forrest hands Man City third consecutive title</a></p>

<h2><strong>Neck-to-neck in 3Q</strong></h2>

<p>Anthony Davis scored six of the first eight points for the Lakers as they matched Denver's eight points early in the 3Q to keep the deficit at three points. Los Angeles guard Austin Reeves also joined the party as his three helped the Lakers drew level with Nuggets at 71 points each.</p>

<p>Denver's guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope then exploded for 11 points as Denver threatened to ran away with the game in 3Q but LeBron James back-to-back threes in the last couple of minutes kept Denver's lead to just two points with the box score reading 84-82.</p>

<h2><strong>Lakers lead early in 4Q</strong></h2>

<p>Rui Hachimura's three took Lakers past Denver for the first time in the game since they were ahead 9-7 in 1Q. He dropped another three to take the Lakers ahead once more after Denver came back to erase the one-point deficit. Two three points by Jeff Green and Bruce Brown then gave Denver a five-point advantage with seven minutes to go and Murray's three made it a 9-0 run for the Nuggets.</p>

<p>The run eventually went to 13 and the Lakers just couldn't come back from there as Denver scored 35 points in the quarter against Los Angeles' 26.</p>

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A 13-4 run in 4Q gave Denver Nuggets another win as they beat Los Angeles Lakers 119-108 at crypto.com arena to take a 3-0 lead in the 2023 Western Conference Finals.

A 13-4 run in 4Q gave Denver Nuggets another win as they beat Los Angeles Lakers 119-108 at crypto.com arena to take a 3-0 lead in the 2023 Western Conference Finals. Jamal Murray dropped 37 points in the game with Nikola Jokic scoring 24 and Michael Porter Jr. getting a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds as Denver take themselves to one-game distance from NBA Championship series. Murray shines bright in 1Q Jamal Murray dropped 17 points in the first quarter with three rebounds and was 8 of 10 in field goals including a three-pointer as the Nuggets got a 12-point lead. For the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored nine and LeBron scored five as they scored 20 points against Denver's 32. Lakers charge in 2Q Los Angeles came charging in 2Q with a 14-6 run before they ran into Jamal Murray again who added his first nine points of the quarter with three 3Ps. The Nuggets star scored 13 points in total in 2Q to reach 30 by half-time. For the Lakers, Austin Reeves reached 15 points and so did Anthony Davis along with 11 rebounds to notch up a double-double. The game moved at frantic pace with a last-minute assist by Murray kept Nuggets ahead by three points even though Lakers dropped 35 points against Denver's 26. Also read: Premier League: Arsenal's defeat to Nottingham Forrest hands Man City third consecutive title Neck-to-neck in 3Q Anthony Davis scored six of the first eight points for the Lakers as they matched Denver's eight points early in the 3Q to keep the deficit at three points. Los Angeles guard Austin Reeves also joined the party as his three helped the Lakers drew level with Nuggets at 71 points each. Denver's guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope then exploded for 11 points as Denver threatened to ran away with the game in 3Q but LeBron James back-to-back threes in the last couple of minutes kept Denver's lead to just two points with the box score reading 84-82. Lakers lead early in 4Q Rui Hachimura's three took Lakers past Denver for the first time in the game since they were ahead 9-7 in 1Q. He dropped another three to take the Lakers ahead once more after Denver came back to erase the one-point deficit. Two three points by Jeff Green and Bruce Brown then gave Denver a five-point advantage with seven minutes to go and Murray's three made it a 9-0 run for the Nuggets. The run eventually went to 13 and the Lakers just couldn't come back from there as Denver scored 35 points in the quarter against Los Angeles' 26. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA West Finals: Murray drops 37 as Nuggets beat Lakers 119-108 to take 3-0 lead

<p>Jamal Murray scored 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter as a furious finale carried the Denver Nuggets to a 108-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday and a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference final series.</p>

<p>Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic racked up another triple-double with 23 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists for the Nuggets, but it was Murray who starred when it mattered most.</p>

<p>He made six of seven shots, including four of five from three-point range, playing all 12 minutes of a final period in which Jokic and fellow starters Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon went scoreless.</p>

<p>Murray's exploits were enough for a Nuggets team that had kept it close but couldn't find a way past LeBron James and the Lakers through the first three periods at Denver's Ball Arena.</p>

<p>"The game would've been a lot easier if I made them the first half," said Murray, adding he was able to refocus after missing some open shots and was encouraged by his teammates to keep shooting.</p>

<p>"Just come out focused and knock them down," he said of his second-half goal. "Don't lose any confidence or anything like that. Just play my game and know they're going to fall if I keep shooting them."</p>

<p>James and Austin Reaves scored 22 points apiece for the Lakers and Japanese reserve forward Rui Hachimura delivered a brilliant 21 points off the bench, but the Lakers couldn't stem the tide once Murray got going.</p>

<p>Two days after the Nuggets used a dominant first quarter to take control on the way to a game-one victory, it was all tied up at the end of one period.</p>

<p>The Lakers pushed their lead to as many as 11 in the second quarter before coming up empty on 10 straight attempts -- a dry spell ended by James's driving finger-roll layup.</p>

<p>James, who also had nine rebounds and 10 assists, then found Hachimura for an alley-oop dunk that put the Lakers up 53-48 at halftime.</p>

<p>Anthony Davis made just four of 15 shots on the way to 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who nevertheless pushed the lead back to 11 midway through the third as James came up with a steal and raced for a dunk.</p>

<p>But again the Nuggets clawed back, pulling level at 74-74 on Murray's pull-up jumper with 2:10 left in the third, only for the Lakers to pull away again to lead by three, 79-76, going into the final period.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-no-point-paying-gavaskar-slams-injured-jofra-archer-says-what-has-he-given-mi-in-return-594031">IPL 2023: 'No point paying...': Gavaskar slams injured Jofra Archer, says 'what has he given MI in return?'</a></p>

<h2>Murray the man</h2>

<p>With 9:21 left to play a Murray three-pointer gave the Nuggets the lead for the first time since the first quarter -- and they wouldn't fall behind again.</p>

<p>"I think he was amazing," Jokic said. "When it mattered the most, he made shots and he won us the game, basically."</p>

<p>Denver made seven three-pointers in the fourth quarter -- one less than the Lakers had in the entire contest. Not only did Murray make four of them, he had two steals that set up Bruce Brown and Michael Porter Jr. to hit from beyond the arc.</p>

<p>"Only one of them was uncontested," James said. "Two of Jamal's threes was right in the face of me and AD (Davis).</p>

<p>"The three-point line is what killed us in the fourth, but I didn't see many (defensive) breakdowns though."</p>

<p>Murray, who starred as the Nuggets reached the Western Conference finals in 2020 but missed the last two post-seasons after tearing a left knee ligament in April of 2021, said the Nuggets will need to show the same poise in game three in Los Angeles on Saturday.</p>

<p>"The crowd's going to be into it. They're going to run, they're going to play with a lot of pace, a lot of energy. We've got to be able to handle that."</p>

<p>James said the Lakers, who have won seven straight at home starting with the play-in tournament, can't afford to be complacent about a return to Crypto.com Arena.</p>

<p>"We can't go into any post-season game with comfort," he said. "You've got to be even more on edge when you go home."&nbsp;</p>

<p>The winner of the series will play either the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.</p>

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Jamal Murray scored 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter as a furious finale carried the Denver Nuggets to a 108-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday and a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference final series.

Jamal Murray scored 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter as a furious finale carried the Denver Nuggets to a 108-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday and a 2-0 lead in their NBA Western Conference final series. Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic racked up another triple-double with 23 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists for the Nuggets, but it was Murray who starred when it mattered most. He made six of seven shots, including four of five from three-point range, playing all 12 minutes of a final period in which Jokic and fellow starters Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon went scoreless. Murray's exploits were enough for a Nuggets team that had kept it close but couldn't find a way past LeBron James and the Lakers through the first three periods at Denver's Ball Arena. "The game would've been a lot easier if I made them the first half," said Murray, adding he was able to refocus after missing some open shots and was encouraged by his teammates to keep shooting. "Just come out focused and knock them down," he said of his second-half goal. "Don't lose any confidence or anything like that. Just play my game and know they're going to fall if I keep shooting them." James and Austin Reaves scored 22 points apiece for the Lakers and Japanese reserve forward Rui Hachimura delivered a brilliant 21 points off the bench, but the Lakers couldn't stem the tide once Murray got going. Two days after the Nuggets used a dominant first quarter to take control on the way to a game-one victory, it was all tied up at the end of one period. The Lakers pushed their lead to as many as 11 in the second quarter before coming up empty on 10 straight attempts -- a dry spell ended by James's driving finger-roll layup. James, who also had nine rebounds and 10 assists, then found Hachimura for an alley-oop dunk that put the Lakers up 53-48 at halftime. Anthony Davis made just four of 15 shots on the way to 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Lakers, who nevertheless pushed the lead back to 11 midway through the third as James came up with a steal and raced for a dunk. But again the Nuggets clawed back, pulling level at 74-74 on Murray's pull-up jumper with 2:10 left in the third, only for the Lakers to pull away again to lead by three, 79-76, going into the final period. ALSO READ | IPL 2023: 'No point paying...': Gavaskar slams injured Jofra Archer, says 'what has he given MI in return?' Murray the man With 9:21 left to play a Murray three-pointer gave the Nuggets the lead for the first time since the first quarter -- and they wouldn't fall behind again. "I think he was amazing," Jokic said. "When it mattered the most, he made shots and he won us the game, basically." Denver made seven three-pointers in the fourth quarter -- one less than the Lakers had in the entire contest. Not only did Murray make four of them, he had two steals that set up Bruce Brown and Michael Porter Jr. to hit from beyond the arc. "Only one of them was uncontested," James said. "Two of Jamal's threes was right in the face of me and AD (Davis). "The three-point line is what killed us in the fourth, but I didn't see many (defensive) breakdowns though." Murray, who starred as the Nuggets reached the Western Conference finals in 2020 but missed the last two post-seasons after tearing a left knee ligament in April of 2021, said the Nuggets will need to show the same poise in game three in Los Angeles on Saturday. "The crowd's going to be into it. They're going to run, they're going to play with a lot of pace, a lot of energy. We've got to be able to handle that." James said the Lakers, who have won seven straight at home starting with the play-in tournament, can't afford to be complacent about a return to Crypto.com Arena. "We can't go into any post-season game with comfort," he said. "You've got to be even more on edge when you go home." The winner of the series will play either the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA Playoffs 2023: 'Amazing' Murray leads Nuggets rally in 108-103 win over Lakers

<p>Nikola Jokic led Denver Nuggets to a 132-126 victory over Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Western Conference Finals Game 1 in Denver. The Lakers, who were trailing by 18 points by half-time fought valiantly in the last quarter as they cut down the lead to just three points but it was not enough.</p>

<p>A final seconds steal by Denver off LeBron James all but sealed the game for Nuggets who definitely were the better team for three quarters of the game. Jokic, however, was too much to handle as he scored 34 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists.</p>

<p>Lakers superstar LeBron James scored the first points of the game with a lay-up for two points. That was the only time the Lakers led in the first half as the Nuggets ran away with the game on the back of Jokic's historic first-half.</p>

<p>At the end of the first quarter, Denver were ahead by 12 points, leading 37-25. The game continued that same way in the second quarter as well with Denver adding another 35 points while the Lakers could manage only 29.</p>

<p>With Los Angeles down by 18 points by the half-time, they came out charging in the 1st quarter after the half-time but the Nuggets kept them at bay for most minutes.</p>

<p>It was only in the last couple of minutes of the third quarter that the Lakers were able to cut down the lead to 11 points. Nikola Jokic, however, had a different idea as he dropped a buzzer-beater to end the third quarter and extend Nuggets' lead to 14 points.</p>

<p>Such was the dominance of Jokic that he already had 12 rebounds in 1st quarter before he became the first player in the NBA history in over 25 years to score 15 points and 15 rebounds by the half-time. Till the time the game hit the last quarter, Jokic already had a triple-double of 31 points, 19 rebounds and 12 assists.</p>

<p>Anthony Davis however, matched Jokic for points as he scored 31 points by the end of third quarter as well and ended with 40 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron also had a double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds.</p>

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Nikola Jokic led Denver Nuggets to a 132-126 victory over Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Western Conference Finals Game 1 in Denver. The Lakers, who were trailing by 18 points by half-time fought valiantly in the last quarter as they cut down the lead to just three points but it was not enough.

Nikola Jokic led Denver Nuggets to a 132-126 victory over Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Western Conference Finals Game 1 in Denver. The Lakers, who were trailing by 18 points by half-time fought valiantly in the last quarter as they cut down the lead to just three points but it was not enough. A final seconds steal by Denver off LeBron James all but sealed the game for Nuggets who definitely were the better team for three quarters of the game. Jokic, however, was too much to handle as he scored 34 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists. Lakers superstar LeBron James scored the first points of the game with a lay-up for two points. That was the only time the Lakers led in the first half as the Nuggets ran away with the game on the back of Jokic's historic first-half. At the end of the first quarter, Denver were ahead by 12 points, leading 37-25. The game continued that same way in the second quarter as well with Denver adding another 35 points while the Lakers could manage only 29. With Los Angeles down by 18 points by the half-time, they came out charging in the 1st quarter after the half-time but the Nuggets kept them at bay for most minutes. It was only in the last couple of minutes of the third quarter that the Lakers were able to cut down the lead to 11 points. Nikola Jokic, however, had a different idea as he dropped a buzzer-beater to end the third quarter and extend Nuggets' lead to 14 points. Such was the dominance of Jokic that he already had 12 rebounds in 1st quarter before he became the first player in the NBA history in over 25 years to score 15 points and 15 rebounds by the half-time. Till the time the game hit the last quarter, Jokic already had a triple-double of 31 points, 19 rebounds and 12 assists. Anthony Davis however, matched Jokic for points as he scored 31 points by the end of third quarter as well and ended with 40 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron also had a double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA West Finals 2023: Jokic leads Nuggets past Lakers in Game 1

<p>Timothee Chalamet may have been labeled for his acting prowess and good looks but the latest tag&nbsp;given by Chris Pratt, perhaps is new.&nbsp;On Tuesday, the Guardians of the Galaxy star posted a series of photos and videos on his Instagram from when he attended a Los Angeles Lakers playoff game against the Golden State Warriors at L.A.'s Crypto.com Arena. Among the series of selfies, which were with cupcakes and tomahawk steaks, Pratt also included a photo with the newest snack in town: Timothée Chalamet.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
"When you get courtside Lakers seats, (not to brag) they offer an exclusive, VIP buffet bar and restaurant with free drinks, delicious Tomahawk chops, cupcakes, and even America's tastiest snack, the Timothée Chalamet," Pratt captioned the post. "You know what? I get it."&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Pratt has been known to show off his midday cravings on social media which are neatly tagged under the Instagram segment "What's My Snack?" So it was not unusual of him to label Chalamet as a snack considering the Guardians of the Galaxy star is so passionate about food.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Pratt had once even rapped — and beatboxed! — about his general apathy toward a carrot cake muffin while on set one day. "I'll be stuffing this mother up in my grill, look at the carrot cake crumbs I spill," Pratt said. "I don't even like it, but I'm eating it still."&nbsp;</p>

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Timothee Chalamet may have been labeled for his acting prowess and good looks but the latest tag given by Chris Pratt, perhaps is new. On Tuesday, the Guardians of the Galaxy star posted a series of photos and videos on his Instagram from when he attended a Los Angeles Lakers playoff game against the Golden State Warriors at L.

Timothee Chalamet may have been labeled for his acting prowess and good looks but the latest tag given by Chris Pratt, perhaps is new. On Tuesday, the Guardians of the Galaxy star posted a series of photos and videos on his Instagram from when he attended a Los Angeles Lakers playoff game against the Golden State Warriors at L.A.'s Crypto.com Arena. Among the series of selfies, which were with cupcakes and tomahawk steaks, Pratt also included a photo with the newest snack in town: Timothée Chalamet. "When you get courtside Lakers seats, (not to brag) they offer an exclusive, VIP buffet bar and restaurant with free drinks, delicious Tomahawk chops, cupcakes, and even America's tastiest snack, the Timothée Chalamet," Pratt captioned the post. "You know what? I get it." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chris Pratt (@prattprattpratt) × Pratt has been known to show off his midday cravings on social media which are neatly tagged under the Instagram segment "What's My Snack?" So it was not unusual of him to label Chalamet as a snack considering the Guardians of the Galaxy star is so passionate about food. Pratt had once even rapped — and beatboxed! — about his general apathy toward a carrot cake muffin while on set one day. "I'll be stuffing this mother up in my grill, look at the carrot cake crumbs I spill," Pratt said. "I don't even like it, but I'm eating it still." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Chris Pratt just called Timothée Chalamet America's 'tastiest snack'

<p>Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis had a monster Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors in NBA Playoffs 2023 as he scored a double-double of 25 points and 13 rebounds to help Los Angeles win 127-97.</p>

<p>Davis, however, is following strange trend of scoring more in odd games this postseason than the even games. When asked after Game 3 about the trend, the Lakers center shrugged it off, calling it just a regular thing to happen.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-playoffs-2023-butler-returns-as-heat-down-knicks-for-2-1-lead-589870">Butler returns as Heat down Knicks for 2-1 lead</a></p>

<p>"It's a miss or make league. The same shots I had in Game 1, I had in Game 2. I made them in Game 1 and I missed them in Game 2. The same The same shots I had in Game 2, I had in Game 3. I missed in Game 2 and I made in Game 3," he said.</p>

<p>"I look at it as I just missed shots. I didn't do anything differently, I didn't change anything up, so it is what it is," added Davis. Have a look at Davis' performance in Game 3 vs the Warriors:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Another dominant Anthony Davis performance.<br />
<br />
💪: 25 PTS, 13 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 4 BLK<br />
<br />
Lakers take Game 3 in LA 🗣️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> presented by <a href="https://twitter.com/GooglePixel_US?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GooglePixel_US</a> <a href="https://t.co/uUFJ0sUoi2">pic.twitter.com/uUFJ0sUoi2</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1655053124225183744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>While Davis might have shrugged off the trend, the stats definitely speak differently about this being just a regular thing. In the nine games (Six against the Grizzlies in Round 1 and three so far against the Warriors) Davis has played so far during 2023 NBA Playoffs, he has scored 21.22 points on an average.</p>

<p>However, in odd games, Game 1, 3, and 5 against the Grizzlies and Game 1 &amp; 3 against the Warriors, Davis averages 27.8 which is a whopping 14.8 more than 13 he averages in four even games, that is, Game 2, 4 &amp; 6 against Memphis and Game 2 against the Golden State.</p>

<p>Davis has also scored more than 20 points in every odd game played this postseason while his even-game scores read 13, 12, 16 and 11 so far.</p>

<p>Whatever may be the reason behind these numbers, the Lakers would still be happy even if high-scoring Davis shows up every other game in the playoffs.</p>

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Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis had a monster Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors in NBA Playoffs 2023 as he scored a double-double of 25 points and 13 rebounds to help Los Angeles win 127-97.

Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis had a monster Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors in NBA Playoffs 2023 as he scored a double-double of 25 points and 13 rebounds to help Los Angeles win 127-97. Davis, however, is following strange trend of scoring more in odd games this postseason than the even games. When asked after Game 3 about the trend, the Lakers center shrugged it off, calling it just a regular thing to happen. Also Read: Butler returns as Heat down Knicks for 2-1 lead "It's a miss or make league. The same shots I had in Game 1, I had in Game 2. I made them in Game 1 and I missed them in Game 2. The same The same shots I had in Game 2, I had in Game 3. I missed in Game 2 and I made in Game 3," he said. "I look at it as I just missed shots. I didn't do anything differently, I didn't change anything up, so it is what it is," added Davis. Have a look at Davis' performance in Game 3 vs the Warriors: Another dominant Anthony Davis performance. 💪: 25 PTS, 13 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 4 BLK Lakers take Game 3 in LA 🗣️#NBAPlayoffs presented by @GooglePixel_US pic.twitter.com/uUFJ0sUoi2 — NBA (@NBA) May 7, 2023 × While Davis might have shrugged off the trend, the stats definitely speak differently about this being just a regular thing. In the nine games (Six against the Grizzlies in Round 1 and three so far against the Warriors) Davis has played so far during 2023 NBA Playoffs, he has scored 21.22 points on an average. However, in odd games, Game 1, 3, and 5 against the Grizzlies and Game 1 & 3 against the Warriors, Davis averages 27.8 which is a whopping 14.8 more than 13 he averages in four even games, that is, Game 2, 4 & 6 against Memphis and Game 2 against the Golden State. Davis has also scored more than 20 points in every odd game played this postseason while his even-game scores read 13, 12, 16 and 11 so far. Whatever may be the reason behind these numbers, the Lakers would still be happy even if high-scoring Davis shows up every other game in the playoffs. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA Playoffs 2023: Lakers' Anthony Davis on scoring more in odd games than even ones this postseason

<p>The Los Angeles Lakers started off the 2023 NBA Western Conference semifinals with a win against the Golden State Warriors, beating them 117-112 to take a 1-0 lead in the seven-game series.</p>

<p>Both the teams have had a rough road so far in the playoffs with the Warriors winning the Round 1 series 4-3 against the Sacramento Kings while the Lakers entered the playoffs only after winning the 2023 NBA Play-in tournament.</p>

<p>As for the Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, it was in balance throughout the four quarters with the Warriors taking a two-point first quarter lead by outscoring the Lakers 31-29.</p>

<p>The Showtime Lakers hit back resoundingly in the second quarter, edging past the Warriors 36-33. The box score read 66-65 at the half-time in Los Angeles' favour and they kept on the pressure going into the third quarter as well.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sixers-joel-embiid-named-nba-most-valuable-player-588350">Sixers' Joel Embiid named NBA Most Valuable Player</a></p>

<p>Los Angeles took a decisive lead of seven points in the first quarter after the half-time as they outscored Golden State 31-24. With a eight-point deficit staring them in the face, the Warriors put in all their energy in the final 12 minutes and outscored the Lakers 24-21 but it wasn't suffice to win the game.</p>

<p>As for the individual performance, Lakers center Anthony Davis had a monster game as he dropped 30 points and caught 23 rebounds along with five assists. Los Angeles star LeBron James also had a double-double, scoring 22 points and 11 rebounds apart from four assists. Apart from them, D'Angelo Russell and Dennis Schroder scored 19 apiece.</p>

<p>For the Warriors, Stephen Curry, the Game 7 Round 1 hero against the Kings, top scored with 27 points while Klay Thompson dropped 25. Kevin Looney had a double-double of 10 points and 23 rebounds. Jordan Poole also dropped 21 points but all these efforts went in vain with the Lakers winning the game.</p>

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The Los Angeles Lakers started off the 2023 NBA Western Conference semifinals with a win against the Golden State Warriors, beating them 117-112 to take a 1-0 lead in the seven-game series.

The Los Angeles Lakers started off the 2023 NBA Western Conference semifinals with a win against the Golden State Warriors, beating them 117-112 to take a 1-0 lead in the seven-game series. Both the teams have had a rough road so far in the playoffs with the Warriors winning the Round 1 series 4-3 against the Sacramento Kings while the Lakers entered the playoffs only after winning the 2023 NBA Play-in tournament. As for the Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, it was in balance throughout the four quarters with the Warriors taking a two-point first quarter lead by outscoring the Lakers 31-29. The Showtime Lakers hit back resoundingly in the second quarter, edging past the Warriors 36-33. The box score read 66-65 at the half-time in Los Angeles' favour and they kept on the pressure going into the third quarter as well. Also Read: Sixers' Joel Embiid named NBA Most Valuable Player Los Angeles took a decisive lead of seven points in the first quarter after the half-time as they outscored Golden State 31-24. With a eight-point deficit staring them in the face, the Warriors put in all their energy in the final 12 minutes and outscored the Lakers 24-21 but it wasn't suffice to win the game. As for the individual performance, Lakers center Anthony Davis had a monster game as he dropped 30 points and caught 23 rebounds along with five assists. Los Angeles star LeBron James also had a double-double, scoring 22 points and 11 rebounds apart from four assists. Apart from them, D'Angelo Russell and Dennis Schroder scored 19 apiece. For the Warriors, Stephen Curry, the Game 7 Round 1 hero against the Kings, top scored with 27 points while Klay Thompson dropped 25. Kevin Looney had a double-double of 10 points and 23 rebounds. Jordan Poole also dropped 21 points but all these efforts went in vain with the Lakers winning the game. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA Playoffs 2023: Lakers beat Warriors in Game 1 of Western Conference semifinals

<p>Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was in beast mode during Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Round 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies. LeBron was the architect of the Lakers' overtime victory as he dropped 20 points.</p>

<p>James, with nearly seven seconds left on clock in the fourth quarter and the Lakers' training by two points, made a clutch lay-up as he pushed the game into the OT. LeBron, while making the game-pushed-in-OT play, took the ball up court before laying it up for two points. The ball bounced on the rim a bit before sinking down, sending everyone at Crypto.com arena. Have a look at the video here:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The King sends it to OT <a href="https://t.co/EhmqQHLbrn">pic.twitter.com/EhmqQHLbrn</a></p>
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1650723020569452551?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Once the game was in the OT, LeBron and Lakers didn't relent and outscored the Grizzlies 13-7 to win the game 117-111. The last two games of the seven-game series have been quite chirpy from Grizzlies' side at least.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Memphis guard Dillon Brooks was, in fact, ejected in Game 3 after hitting LeBron in groin area. The league, however, refrained from suspending Brooks. Earlier, after Game 2, Brooks had called LeBron 'old' but LeBron didn't reply to any of the talks from Brooks instead showed what is he capable of in Game 4.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-playoffs-2023-lebron-james-leads-lakers-past-grizzlies-in-game-4-585921">LeBron James leads Lakers past Grizzlies in Game 4</a></p>

<p>For the Lakers, LeBron scored a double-double - his first 20-20 in his 1,691 career games, as he dropped 22 points and caught 20 rebounds. Apart from him, Austin Reaves scored 23 points while Anthony Davis also scored a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. LeBron, at 38 years and 115 days old, also became the oldest player in NBA history to record 20+ points and 20+ rebounds in a Playoff Game. &nbsp;Wilt Chamberlain at 36 years and 262 days old had set the previous record on May 10, 1973.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">LeBron James (38 years, 115 days old) becomes the oldest player in NBA history to record 20+ points and 20+ rebounds in a Playoff Game.<br />
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Wilt Chamberlain (36 years, 262 days old) set the previous record on May 10, 1973. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PLAYOFFMODE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PLAYOFFMODE</a> <a href="https://t.co/3FO4jxSuTl">pic.twitter.com/3FO4jxSuTl</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1650730749002121217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>For the Memphis Grizzlies, Desmond Bane scored 36 points while Ja Morant could manage only 19 as Memphis lost the game and now are on the brink of getting out of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.</p>


Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was in beast mode during Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Round 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies. LeBron was the architect of the Lakers' overtime victory as he dropped 20 points.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was in beast mode during Game 4 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Round 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies. LeBron was the architect of the Lakers' overtime victory as he dropped 20 points. James, with nearly seven seconds left on clock in the fourth quarter and the Lakers' training by two points, made a clutch lay-up as he pushed the game into the OT. LeBron, while making the game-pushed-in-OT play, took the ball up court before laying it up for two points. The ball bounced on the rim a bit before sinking down, sending everyone at Crypto.com arena. Have a look at the video here: The King sends it to OT pic.twitter.com/EhmqQHLbrn — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 25, 2023 × Once the game was in the OT, LeBron and Lakers didn't relent and outscored the Grizzlies 13-7 to win the game 117-111. The last two games of the seven-game series have been quite chirpy from Grizzlies' side at least. Memphis guard Dillon Brooks was, in fact, ejected in Game 3 after hitting LeBron in groin area. The league, however, refrained from suspending Brooks. Earlier, after Game 2, Brooks had called LeBron 'old' but LeBron didn't reply to any of the talks from Brooks instead showed what is he capable of in Game 4. Also Read: LeBron James leads Lakers past Grizzlies in Game 4 For the Lakers, LeBron scored a double-double - his first 20-20 in his 1,691 career games, as he dropped 22 points and caught 20 rebounds. Apart from him, Austin Reaves scored 23 points while Anthony Davis also scored a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. LeBron, at 38 years and 115 days old, also became the oldest player in NBA history to record 20+ points and 20+ rebounds in a Playoff Game. Wilt Chamberlain at 36 years and 262 days old had set the previous record on May 10, 1973. LeBron James (38 years, 115 days old) becomes the oldest player in NBA history to record 20+ points and 20+ rebounds in a Playoff Game. Wilt Chamberlain (36 years, 262 days old) set the previous record on May 10, 1973. #PLAYOFFMODE pic.twitter.com/3FO4jxSuTl — NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2023 × For the Memphis Grizzlies, Desmond Bane scored 36 points while Ja Morant could manage only 19 as Memphis lost the game and now are on the brink of getting out of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.

NBA Playoffs 2023: Lakers' LeBron makes clutch shot to send Game 4 vs Grizzlies into OT - WATCH

<p>Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James brushed aside Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks and Memphis Grizzlies as they won Game 4 117-111 in overtime to take a 3-1 lead in the 2023 NBA Playoffs Round 1 series.</p>

<p>Notably, Morant had scored 45 points in the last game against the Lakers, albeit in a loss. Grizzlies' Dillon Brooks, on the other hand, was ejected in Game 3 for hitting LeBron James in the groin after calling him 'old' post Game 2.</p>

<p>In Game 4 though, LeBron schooled the Grizzlies as he scored clutch points in overtime to take the Lakers on the brink of the next round of NBA Playoffs.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-playoffs-2023-butler-56-as-heat-beat-bucks-to-take-3-1-lead-585838">Butler 56 as Heat beat Bucks to take 3-1 lead</a></p>

<p>The game started with Lakers coming out with an attitude to win, outscoring Grizzlies 29-23 in the first quarter. The Grizzlies came roaring back in the second quarter as thy outscored the Showtime Lakers 29-25. Los Angeles, however, still had a lead of one point at the half-time though.</p>

<p>Come second half, Memphis started well and managed 31 points in the third quarter against the Lakers' 27. Now, with the Grizzlies with their nose in the front, the Lakers hit back.</p>

<p>Los Angeles did everything in their power to erase the two-point deficit and managed 23 points against the Grizzlies' 21, taking the game into the OT. And it was none other than 'old' LeBron James who made a pivotal shot for the Lakers to send the game into the overtime.</p>

<p>In OT, the Lakers and LeBron were unstoppable as they outscored Memphis 13-7 to win the game. For the Lakers, LeBron scored a double-double - his first 20-20 in his 1,691 career games, as he dropped 22 points and caught 20 rebounds. Apart from him, Austin Reaves scored 23 points while Anthony Davis also scored a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds.</p>

<p>For the Grizzlies, Desmond Bane scored 36 points while Ja Morant could manage only 19 as Memphis lost the game and now are on the brink of getting out of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.</p>

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Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James brushed aside Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks and Memphis Grizzlies as they won Game 4 117-111 in overtime to take a 3-1 lead in the 2023 NBA Playoffs Round 1 series.

Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James brushed aside Ja Morant, Dillon Brooks and Memphis Grizzlies as they won Game 4 117-111 in overtime to take a 3-1 lead in the 2023 NBA Playoffs Round 1 series. Notably, Morant had scored 45 points in the last game against the Lakers, albeit in a loss. Grizzlies' Dillon Brooks, on the other hand, was ejected in Game 3 for hitting LeBron James in the groin after calling him 'old' post Game 2. In Game 4 though, LeBron schooled the Grizzlies as he scored clutch points in overtime to take the Lakers on the brink of the next round of NBA Playoffs. Also Read: Butler 56 as Heat beat Bucks to take 3-1 lead The game started with Lakers coming out with an attitude to win, outscoring Grizzlies 29-23 in the first quarter. The Grizzlies came roaring back in the second quarter as thy outscored the Showtime Lakers 29-25. Los Angeles, however, still had a lead of one point at the half-time though. Come second half, Memphis started well and managed 31 points in the third quarter against the Lakers' 27. Now, with the Grizzlies with their nose in the front, the Lakers hit back. Los Angeles did everything in their power to erase the two-point deficit and managed 23 points against the Grizzlies' 21, taking the game into the OT. And it was none other than 'old' LeBron James who made a pivotal shot for the Lakers to send the game into the overtime. In OT, the Lakers and LeBron were unstoppable as they outscored Memphis 13-7 to win the game. For the Lakers, LeBron scored a double-double - his first 20-20 in his 1,691 career games, as he dropped 22 points and caught 20 rebounds. Apart from him, Austin Reaves scored 23 points while Anthony Davis also scored a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. For the Grizzlies, Desmond Bane scored 36 points while Ja Morant could manage only 19 as Memphis lost the game and now are on the brink of getting out of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA Playoffs 2023: LeBron James leads Lakers past Grizzlies in Game 4

<p>Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks was ejected for hitting Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in the groin during the Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs 2023 Round 1.</p>

<p>The incident happened in the second half with 11:43 left on the clock in the third quarter and the Lakers leading 53-37 over the Grizzlies. In the video making rounds on the internet, James can be seen taking the ball up court when Brook hit him in the groin area with the back of his hand.</p>

<p>James immediately fell on the ground in pain and Brooks got a flagrant foul 2 after the review from the officials, resulting in ejection automatically. The crowd at Crypto.com arena cheered on as Brooks left the court. Have a look at the video of the incident here:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dillon Brooks has been ejected after hitting LeBron James in the groin <a href="https://t.co/SPTRq6heO4">pic.twitter.com/SPTRq6heO4</a></p>
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ActionNetworkHQ/status/1649979931479228418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>This happened as Brooks had called LeBron 'old' after Game 2 between the two teams. Nonetheless, the Lakers went on to win the game 111-101 and took a 2-1 lead in the seven-game series of Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs 2023.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-playoffs-2023-76ers-vs-nets-suns-vs-clippers-heat-vs-bucks-lakers-vs-grizzlies-full-scores-and-results-585286">NBA Playoffs 2023: 76ers vs Nets, Suns vs Clippers, Heat vs Bucks, Lakers vs Grizzlies full scores and results</a></p>

<p>As for the game, Grizzlies lost it in the first quarter itself, scoring 9 against Los Angeles' 35. Memphis, however, fought well in the second and fourth quarter, scoring 28 and 33 against the Lakers' 18 and 23 but the four point advantage in the third quarter, coupled with 26 in the first, was too much to overcome for them. The Lakers scored 35 against the Grizzlies 31 in the third quarter.</p>

<p>For the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored 31 and LeBron James managed 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists. As for Grizzlies, Ja Morant did most of the scoring, dropping a bombshell of 45 but could not help his team win. Morant, at one point, was so dominant that the scored straight 22 points for the Grizzlies. The effort, while a monumental one, was in vain.</p>


Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks was ejected for hitting Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in the groin during the Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs 2023 Round 1.

Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks was ejected for hitting Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in the groin during the Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs 2023 Round 1. The incident happened in the second half with 11:43 left on the clock in the third quarter and the Lakers leading 53-37 over the Grizzlies. In the video making rounds on the internet, James can be seen taking the ball up court when Brook hit him in the groin area with the back of his hand. James immediately fell on the ground in pain and Brooks got a flagrant foul 2 after the review from the officials, resulting in ejection automatically. The crowd at Crypto.com arena cheered on as Brooks left the court. Have a look at the video of the incident here: Dillon Brooks has been ejected after hitting LeBron James in the groin pic.twitter.com/SPTRq6heO4 — Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) April 23, 2023 × This happened as Brooks had called LeBron 'old' after Game 2 between the two teams. Nonetheless, the Lakers went on to win the game 111-101 and took a 2-1 lead in the seven-game series of Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs 2023. Also Read: NBA Playoffs 2023: 76ers vs Nets, Suns vs Clippers, Heat vs Bucks, Lakers vs Grizzlies full scores and results As for the game, Grizzlies lost it in the first quarter itself, scoring 9 against Los Angeles' 35. Memphis, however, fought well in the second and fourth quarter, scoring 28 and 33 against the Lakers' 18 and 23 but the four point advantage in the third quarter, coupled with 26 in the first, was too much to overcome for them. The Lakers scored 35 against the Grizzlies 31 in the third quarter. For the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored 31 and LeBron James managed 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists. As for Grizzlies, Ja Morant did most of the scoring, dropping a bombshell of 45 but could not help his team win. Morant, at one point, was so dominant that the scored straight 22 points for the Grizzlies. The effort, while a monumental one, was in vain.

NBA Playoffs 2023: Grizzlies' Dillon Brooks hits Lakers' LeBron James in groin in Game 3, gets ejected - WATCH

<p>The Philadelphia 76ers ease past the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA Playoffs 2023 Round 1 with the fourth victory on the trot. In other games, the Phoenix Suns took a 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Clippers while the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers took the 2-1 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks and the Memphis Grizzlies, respectively.</p>

<p><strong>Here are the full recaps, scores and results of all the games:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Philadelphia 76ers vs Brooklyn Nets</strong></p>

<p>It was the last chance of the Nets to stay in the hunt for the next round of NBA Playoffs and they did start well, taking an eight-point lead till the half-time. The 76ers, however, had other plans as they not only erased the deficit but even took a three-point lead by the end of the third quarter as they outscored the Nets 26-15. All of this without Joel Embiid!</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">25 PTS | 12 REB<br />
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it really was Tobi time. ⏰<br />
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💪 hydrated by <a href="https://twitter.com/BioSteelSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BioSteelSports</a> <a href="https://t.co/P7k0XBi9WD">pic.twitter.com/P7k0XBi9WD</a></p>
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1649864398192918528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The fourth quarter was just the last nail in the coffin for the Nets as they could score only 25 against the Sixers' 30 and Philly won the game 96-88 and the series 4-0.</p>

<p>For the Nets, Spencer Dinwiddie scored 20 points while Nic Claxton and Mikal Bridges chipped in with 19 and 17, respectively. For the 76ers, Tobias Harris top scored with 25 points and 12 rebounds while James Harden dropped in 17.</p>

<p><strong>Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Clippers</strong></p>

<p>After losing the first game of the series against the Clippers, the Suns seem to have found their light back as they beat the Los Angeles 112-100 in the Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead. The Clippers, however, had the early advantage as the took a seven point in the first quarter, outscoring the Suns 30-23.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Finding the open man. <a href="https://t.co/C4HXa1E8NM">pic.twitter.com/C4HXa1E8NM</a></p>
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) <a href="https://twitter.com/Suns/status/1649889929810571264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Things changed in the second quarter as the Sun erased the deficit and took one point lead over the Clippers. The third quarter was the most fiercely fought one as both the teams scored in excess of 30 but Phoenix stayed on the top and extended their lead to five points.</p>

<p>The Clippers were outplayed completed in the last quarter 29-22 as they lost the game. For Phoenix, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker scored 31 and 30 points, respectively. For the Clippers, Russell Westbrook scored game-high 37 points but in vain.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-playoffs-sixers-advance-after-nets-sweep-suns-on-brink-as-clippers-downed-585233">Sixers advance after Nets sweep, Suns on brink as Clippers downed</a></p>

<p><strong>Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks</strong></p>

<p>In a surprising turn of events, the Miami Heat beat the top-seed Milwaukee Bucks 121-99 in Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs Round 1 to take a 2-1 lead. Even if Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence is a huge blow for the Bucks, no credit can be taken away from the Heat to turn around their fortunes.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">30 points in 3 quarters for Jimmy ☕️ <a href="https://t.co/3Ro8Jh1fCv">pic.twitter.com/3Ro8Jh1fCv</a></p>
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) <a href="https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1649963299931553792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Miami were on top of Milwaukee right from the start, outscoring them in each quarter 29-21, 37-32, 28-26, and 27-20 with the Bucks having no place to hide.</p>

<p>For the Heat, Jimmy Butler dropped 30 and Duncan Robinson scored 20. For the Bucks, Khris Middleton scored 23 and Jrue Holiday scored 19, clearly not enough. The Bucks must find a way soon to deal with the Heat in the next game or two else they'll be out of the playoffs real soon.</p>

<p><strong>Los Angeles Lakers vs Memphis Grizzlies&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The Showtime Lakers are back and now. From scrapping to get a place into the playoffs, they now have a 2-1 lead over the Grizzlies, standing just two games away from the next round of the NBA Playoffs.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fifteen in the third frame for AD 🗣 <a href="https://t.co/JFMSFVkTR2">pic.twitter.com/JFMSFVkTR2</a></p>
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Lakers/status/1649990344212385793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Such was the dominance of the Lakers as the Grizzlies lost the game in the first quarter itself, scoring 9 against Los Angeles' 35. Memphis, however, fought well in the second and fourth quarter, scoring 28 and 33 against the Lakers' 18 and 23 but the four point advantage in the third quarter, coupled with 26 in the first, was too much to overcome for them.</p>

<p>For the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored 31 and LeBron James managed 25. As for Grizzlies, Ja Morant did most of the scoring, dropping a bombshell of 45 but could not help his team win.&nbsp;</p>

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The Philadelphia 76ers ease past the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA Playoffs 2023 Round 1 with the fourth victory on the trot. In other games, the Phoenix Suns took a 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Clippers while the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers took the 2-1 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks and the Memphis Grizzlies, respectively.

The Philadelphia 76ers ease past the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA Playoffs 2023 Round 1 with the fourth victory on the trot. In other games, the Phoenix Suns took a 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Clippers while the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers took the 2-1 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks and the Memphis Grizzlies, respectively. Here are the full recaps, scores and results of all the games: Philadelphia 76ers vs Brooklyn Nets It was the last chance of the Nets to stay in the hunt for the next round of NBA Playoffs and they did start well, taking an eight-point lead till the half-time. The 76ers, however, had other plans as they not only erased the deficit but even took a three-point lead by the end of the third quarter as they outscored the Nets 26-15. All of this without Joel Embiid! 25 PTS | 12 REB it really was Tobi time. ⏰ 💪 hydrated by @BioSteelSports pic.twitter.com/P7k0XBi9WD — Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 22, 2023 × The fourth quarter was just the last nail in the coffin for the Nets as they could score only 25 against the Sixers' 30 and Philly won the game 96-88 and the series 4-0. For the Nets, Spencer Dinwiddie scored 20 points while Nic Claxton and Mikal Bridges chipped in with 19 and 17, respectively. For the 76ers, Tobias Harris top scored with 25 points and 12 rebounds while James Harden dropped in 17. Phoenix Suns vs Los Angeles Clippers After losing the first game of the series against the Clippers, the Suns seem to have found their light back as they beat the Los Angeles 112-100 in the Game 3 to take a 2-1 lead. The Clippers, however, had the early advantage as the took a seven point in the first quarter, outscoring the Suns 30-23. Finding the open man. pic.twitter.com/C4HXa1E8NM — Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 22, 2023 × Things changed in the second quarter as the Sun erased the deficit and took one point lead over the Clippers. The third quarter was the most fiercely fought one as both the teams scored in excess of 30 but Phoenix stayed on the top and extended their lead to five points. The Clippers were outplayed completed in the last quarter 29-22 as they lost the game. For Phoenix, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker scored 31 and 30 points, respectively. For the Clippers, Russell Westbrook scored game-high 37 points but in vain. Also Read: Sixers advance after Nets sweep, Suns on brink as Clippers downed Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks In a surprising turn of events, the Miami Heat beat the top-seed Milwaukee Bucks 121-99 in Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs Round 1 to take a 2-1 lead. Even if Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence is a huge blow for the Bucks, no credit can be taken away from the Heat to turn around their fortunes. 30 points in 3 quarters for Jimmy ☕️ pic.twitter.com/3Ro8Jh1fCv — Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 23, 2023 × Miami were on top of Milwaukee right from the start, outscoring them in each quarter 29-21, 37-32, 28-26, and 27-20 with the Bucks having no place to hide. For the Heat, Jimmy Butler dropped 30 and Duncan Robinson scored 20. For the Bucks, Khris Middleton scored 23 and Jrue Holiday scored 19, clearly not enough. The Bucks must find a way soon to deal with the Heat in the next game or two else they'll be out of the playoffs real soon. Los Angeles Lakers vs Memphis Grizzlies The Showtime Lakers are back and now. From scrapping to get a place into the playoffs, they now have a 2-1 lead over the Grizzlies, standing just two games away from the next round of the NBA Playoffs. Fifteen in the third frame for AD 🗣 pic.twitter.com/JFMSFVkTR2 — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 23, 2023 × Such was the dominance of the Lakers as the Grizzlies lost the game in the first quarter itself, scoring 9 against Los Angeles' 35. Memphis, however, fought well in the second and fourth quarter, scoring 28 and 33 against the Lakers' 18 and 23 but the four point advantage in the third quarter, coupled with 26 in the first, was too much to overcome for them. For the Lakers, Anthony Davis scored 31 and LeBron James managed 25. As for Grizzlies, Ja Morant did most of the scoring, dropping a bombshell of 45 but could not help his team win. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA Playoffs 2023: 76ers vs Nets, Suns vs Clippers, Heat vs Bucks, Lakers vs Grizzlies full scores and results

<p>NBA Play-in Tournament started off in a blistering manner with the Atlanta Hawks and the Los Angeles Lakers emerging as winners in the Eastern and Western conferences, respectively.</p>

<p>Both the teams have qualified for the NBA Playoffs now as the seventh seed in their respective conferences. The losers, Heat and Wolves, however, will have another shot at making the playoffs against the winner of the second play-in game between No. 9 and No. 10 seed teams in their conferences.</p>

<h2><strong>Here are the Winners and Losers of the first two play-in tournament games:</strong></h2>

<h3><strong>NBA Play-in tournament Winners:</strong></h3>

<p><strong>Atlanta Hawks in Eastern Conference</strong></p>

<p>The Hawks set the tone early in the game as they led the scoring in the first two quarters of the game 36-27 and 29-23. The Heat could never bridge the gap even as they outscored the Hawks in the next two quarters 28-26 and 27-25. 'Ice' Trae Young led the scoring table for the Hawks as he dropped 25 points and Atlanta eventually won 116-105.</p>

<p>Other notable performances from the Hawks were Dejounte Murray 18 points, Saddiq Bey 17 points, Bogdan Bogdanovic 14 points, Onyeka Okongwu 12 points and Clint Capela's 21 rebounds.</p>

<p><strong>Los Angeles Lakers in Western Conference</strong></p>

<p>LeBron James and Anthony Davis both had a brilliant night as the Lakers scampered their way into the NBA Playoffs. Both James and Davis scored a double-double in a must-win game for the Showtime Lakers. James, however top scored with 30 points and 10 rebounds while Davis dropped 24 points and 15 rebounds.</p>

<p>Lakers' Dennis Schroder also scored 21 points as Lakers shrugged off first-half deficit of 11 points and went on to with the game in OT by six points with the final scoreboard reading of 108-102.</p>

<p><strong>Watch the Hawks vs Heat full game highlights below:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ATLHawks</a> were ACTIVE on the glass in their <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ATTPlayIn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ATTPlayIn</a> win!<br />
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💪 22 offensive boards<br />
💪 26 second-chance points<br />
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For more, download the NBA app:<br />
📲 <a href="https://t.co/EfGWQh0QrC">https://t.co/EfGWQh0QrC</a> <a href="https://t.co/DJCbTD9T67">pic.twitter.com/DJCbTD9T67</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1646060585744842754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/sports/nba-playin-tournament-2023-format-teams-schedule-hawks-heat-lakers-wolves-bulls-raptors-okc-pelicans-1681206683449" target="_blank">NBA 2023: Play-in Tournament Format, Teams and Schedule</a></p>

<h3><strong>NBA Play-in Tournament Losers:</strong></h3>

<p><strong>Miami Heat in Eastern Conference</strong></p>

<p>The Heat were the better team but in last two quarters of the game and the four point advantage they gained in the second half wasn't suffice against the soaring Hawks.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For the Heat, Kyle Lowry led the way with 33 points while Tyler Herro dropped 26 but it was all too little too late. Heat's superstar Jimmy Buttler too managed 21 points and all these efforts went in vain. Miami will, however, have another shot at making it to the playoffs on April 14 when they take on the winner of Bulls vs Raptors game.</p>

<p><strong>Minnesota Timberwolves in Western Conference</strong></p>

<p>The Wolves started strongly and gained a lead of 11 points at the end of second quarter but then they lost their way as the Lakers counter-attacked to wipe off the lead in the next two quarters.</p>

<p>The game then moved into overtime, giving the Wolves another chance to find their way back into the game but the Showtime Lakers were too bright for them as Minnesota were outscored 4-10 in the OT.</p>

<p>However, just like the Heat, Timberwolves will have another shot again to make it right when they take on the winner of Pelicans vs Raptors.</p>

<p><strong>Watch the Lakers vs Wolves full game highlights here:</strong></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">30 FOR THE KING.<br />
LAKERS WIN TO GET IN.<a href="https://twitter.com/KingJames?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KingJames</a> powers the Lakers into the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAPlayoffs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAPlayoffs</a> presented by Google Pixel! <a href="https://t.co/6Hw35GM3qf">pic.twitter.com/6Hw35GM3qf</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1646019532505448449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2023</a></blockquote>
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NBA Play-in Tournament started off in a blistering manner with the Atlanta Hawks and the Los Angeles Lakers emerging as winners in the Eastern and Western conferences, respectively.

NBA Play-in Tournament started off in a blistering manner with the Atlanta Hawks and the Los Angeles Lakers emerging as winners in the Eastern and Western conferences, respectively. Both the teams have qualified for the NBA Playoffs now as the seventh seed in their respective conferences. The losers, Heat and Wolves, however, will have another shot at making the playoffs against the winner of the second play-in game between No. 9 and No. 10 seed teams in their conferences. Here are the Winners and Losers of the first two play-in tournament games: NBA Play-in tournament Winners: Atlanta Hawks in Eastern Conference The Hawks set the tone early in the game as they led the scoring in the first two quarters of the game 36-27 and 29-23. The Heat could never bridge the gap even as they outscored the Hawks in the next two quarters 28-26 and 27-25. 'Ice' Trae Young led the scoring table for the Hawks as he dropped 25 points and Atlanta eventually won 116-105. Other notable performances from the Hawks were Dejounte Murray 18 points, Saddiq Bey 17 points, Bogdan Bogdanovic 14 points, Onyeka Okongwu 12 points and Clint Capela's 21 rebounds. Los Angeles Lakers in Western Conference LeBron James and Anthony Davis both had a brilliant night as the Lakers scampered their way into the NBA Playoffs. Both James and Davis scored a double-double in a must-win game for the Showtime Lakers. James, however top scored with 30 points and 10 rebounds while Davis dropped 24 points and 15 rebounds. Lakers' Dennis Schroder also scored 21 points as Lakers shrugged off first-half deficit of 11 points and went on to with the game in OT by six points with the final scoreboard reading of 108-102. Watch the Hawks vs Heat full game highlights below: The @ATLHawks were ACTIVE on the glass in their #ATTPlayIn win! 💪 22 offensive boards 💪 26 second-chance points For more, download the NBA app: 📲 https://t.co/EfGWQh0QrC pic.twitter.com/DJCbTD9T67 — NBA (@NBA) April 12, 2023 × Also Read: NBA 2023: Play-in Tournament Format, Teams and Schedule NBA Play-in Tournament Losers: Miami Heat in Eastern Conference The Heat were the better team but in last two quarters of the game and the four point advantage they gained in the second half wasn't suffice against the soaring Hawks. For the Heat, Kyle Lowry led the way with 33 points while Tyler Herro dropped 26 but it was all too little too late. Heat's superstar Jimmy Buttler too managed 21 points and all these efforts went in vain. Miami will, however, have another shot at making it to the playoffs on April 14 when they take on the winner of Bulls vs Raptors game. Minnesota Timberwolves in Western Conference The Wolves started strongly and gained a lead of 11 points at the end of second quarter but then they lost their way as the Lakers counter-attacked to wipe off the lead in the next two quarters. The game then moved into overtime, giving the Wolves another chance to find their way back into the game but the Showtime Lakers were too bright for them as Minnesota were outscored 4-10 in the OT. However, just like the Heat, Timberwolves will have another shot again to make it right when they take on the winner of Pelicans vs Raptors. Watch the Lakers vs Wolves full game highlights here: 30 FOR THE KING. LAKERS WIN TO GET IN.@KingJames powers the Lakers into the #NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel! pic.twitter.com/6Hw35GM3qf — NBA (@NBA) April 12, 2023 × WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA 2023 Play-in Tournament: Hawks vs Heat and Lakers vs Timberwolves scores, results and full game highlights

<p>The Los Angeles Lakers entered the play-in tournament in the most dramatic manner as they beat Utah Jazz 135-133 in overtime and it was Lakers star LeBron James who made the winning shot.</p>

<p>The Lakers were leading 68-57 at the halftime but the Jazz rallied from behind to score 67 points in the next two quarters against the Lakers' 57.</p>

<p>The game went into the OT and the LA Laker outscored Utah Jazz 11-9 with James making the last layup. Have a look at the video here:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">LEBRON SEALS THE OT WIN FOR THE LAKERS 💪🏾 <a href="https://t.co/49cKb9Jga7">pic.twitter.com/49cKb9Jga7</a></p>
— NBA TV (@NBATV) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBATV/status/1643459741295968256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>LeBron James and Anthony Davis, both of whom are returning from the injuries, played for longer time than usual. LeBron, in fifth game back after staying away four weeks due to torn tendon, clocked 38 minutes game-time while Anthony Davis played 42 minutes - first time north of 40 since January.</p>

<p><strong>Also Watch:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mlb-padres-manny-machado-gets-out-on-pitch-clock-violation-ejected-after-arguing-watch-579347">Padres' Manny Machado gets out on pitch clock violation, ejected after arguing</a></p>

<p>"The extra five minutes definitely didn't help," LeBron said after the game. "It definitely didn't help but we needed to get the win," he added. Notably, LeBron hadn't played more than 32 minutes since coming back from the injury.</p>

<p>Whether he'll play against the Clipper or not, LeBron said he'll see how his foot feels.</p>

<p>"How my foot feels when I wake up and I step out of bed," James said when asked what would determine whether he suits up for the Clippers game or not. "That's been the most important since I've injured it five weeks ago -- the next day after either rehab or training or treatment, whatever. It's always that."</p>

<p>Davis, on the other hand, said, "I haven't played in a back-to-back in a long time. So, I mean, we'll all get on a phone call or something tomorrow morning and go from there."</p>

<p>LeBron scored 37 points in the game, while Austin Reaves scored 28 and Davis chipped in with 21 points.</p>

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The Los Angeles Lakers entered the play-in tournament in the most dramatic manner as they beat Utah Jazz 135-133 in overtime and it was Lakers star LeBron James who made the winning shot.

The Los Angeles Lakers entered the play-in tournament in the most dramatic manner as they beat Utah Jazz 135-133 in overtime and it was Lakers star LeBron James who made the winning shot. The Lakers were leading 68-57 at the halftime but the Jazz rallied from behind to score 67 points in the next two quarters against the Lakers' 57. The game went into the OT and the LA Laker outscored Utah Jazz 11-9 with James making the last layup. Have a look at the video here: LEBRON SEALS THE OT WIN FOR THE LAKERS 💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/49cKb9Jga7 — NBA TV (@NBATV) April 5, 2023 × LeBron James and Anthony Davis, both of whom are returning from the injuries, played for longer time than usual. LeBron, in fifth game back after staying away four weeks due to torn tendon, clocked 38 minutes game-time while Anthony Davis played 42 minutes - first time north of 40 since January. Also Watch: Padres' Manny Machado gets out on pitch clock violation, ejected after arguing "The extra five minutes definitely didn't help," LeBron said after the game. "It definitely didn't help but we needed to get the win," he added. Notably, LeBron hadn't played more than 32 minutes since coming back from the injury. Whether he'll play against the Clipper or not, LeBron said he'll see how his foot feels. "How my foot feels when I wake up and I step out of bed," James said when asked what would determine whether he suits up for the Clippers game or not. "That's been the most important since I've injured it five weeks ago -- the next day after either rehab or training or treatment, whatever. It's always that." Davis, on the other hand, said, "I haven't played in a back-to-back in a long time. So, I mean, we'll all get on a phone call or something tomorrow morning and go from there." LeBron scored 37 points in the game, while Austin Reaves scored 28 and Davis chipped in with 21 points. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: LeBron makes game-winning layup in OT as Lakers beat Jazz to enter play-in tournament - WATCH

<p>The Chicago Bulls spoiled superstar LeBron James's return from a 13-game injury absence on Sunday, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 118-108 to tighten their hold on the final Eastern Conference play-in spot.</p>

<p>As the push to the post-season headed into its final two weeks, the Cleveland Cavaliers clinched their first playoff berth since 2018 with a 108-91 victory over the Houston Rockets.</p>

<p>Jarret Allen tied his season high with 24 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and blocked three shots while All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell added 22 points for the Cavs, who are assured of one of the top six places in the Eastern Conference to avoid the play-in tournament for the seventh- through 10th-placed teams.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-im-back-says-virat-kohli-ahead-of-upcoming-season-575885">IPL 2023: I'm back, says Virat Kohli ahead of upcoming season</a></p>

<p>It's the first time since 1998 that the Cavaliers have reached the playoffs without James, whose 20-year NBA career has included two stints with his hometown team, where he won one of his four titles in 2016.</p>

<p>James said Sunday that the chance to challenge for a fifth title overall, and a second with the Lakers, had driven his rapid return from what he revealed was a torn tendon in his right foot.</p>

<p>All eyes were on the 38-year-old forward at Crypto.com Arena, where he came off the bench for just the second time in his career -- the only other occasion coming in December of 2007 when he was with Cleveland.</p>

<p>James checked in to a standing ovation with the Lakers up 12-9 in the first quarter -- going through his traditional hand-chalk toss near the scorer's table before hitting the floor.</p>

<p>He led the Lakers with 19 points in 27 and a half minutes on court. Troy Brown and Malik Beasley added 18 apiece while Anthony Davis scored 15.</p>

<p>But the Bulls crashed the party, Zach LaVine scoring 32 points and DeMar De Rozan adding 17 points and 10 assists as Chicago gave themselves a three-game cushion over the Washington Wizards for the 10th place in the East.</p>

<p>"They came out with a sense of urgency tonight," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. "We came out a little flat, turned the ball over early. We weren't aggressive enough, physical enough."</p>

<p>The Lakers, who had gone 8-5 in James's absence, saw their three-game winning streak end.</p>

<p>They slipped from eighth to ninth in the Western Conference, half a game ahead of Oklahoma City and half a game behind New Orleans and Minnesota.</p>

<p>James said seeing his teammates claw out wins in his absence had spurred his injury return.</p>

<p>"It definitely changed my mindset on me coming back and trying to be a part of this. Well, I don't even want to say changed my mindset. It just enhanced what I was trying to do as far as my workouts, as far as my treatment and everything."</p>

<p>Elsewhere, Jaylen Brown scored 41 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 137-93 home rout of the San Antonio Spurs.</p>

<p>The injury absence of leading scorer Jayson Tatum was no problem for the Celtics, who kept the pressure on Milwaukee in the race for top seed in the East.</p>

<h2><strong>Morant leads Grizzlies</strong></h2>

<p>Ja Morant returned to the Memphis starting lineup after coming off the bench in his first two games back from suspension, scoring 27 points to lead the Grizzlies in a 123-119 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta.</p>

<p>Desmond Bane added 25 points as the Grizzlies, second in the West, fended off Atlanta's late challenge to push their winning streak to six games.</p>

<p>The Dallas Mavericks' downward spiral continued with a 110-104 loss to the Hornets in Charlotte, where Mavs star Luka Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the season, which will trigger an automatic one-game suspension.</p>

<p>After failing to make a basket in the first quarter Doncic finished with 40 points, but it wasn't enough to stave off a second loss in three days to the hapless Hornets -- who are second-to-last in the Eastern Conference.</p>

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The Chicago Bulls spoiled superstar LeBron James's return from a 13-game injury absence on Sunday, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 118-108 to tighten their hold on the final Eastern Conference play-in spot.

The Chicago Bulls spoiled superstar LeBron James's return from a 13-game injury absence on Sunday, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 118-108 to tighten their hold on the final Eastern Conference play-in spot. As the push to the post-season headed into its final two weeks, the Cleveland Cavaliers clinched their first playoff berth since 2018 with a 108-91 victory over the Houston Rockets. Jarret Allen tied his season high with 24 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and blocked three shots while All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell added 22 points for the Cavs, who are assured of one of the top six places in the Eastern Conference to avoid the play-in tournament for the seventh- through 10th-placed teams. Also Read: IPL 2023: I'm back, says Virat Kohli ahead of upcoming season It's the first time since 1998 that the Cavaliers have reached the playoffs without James, whose 20-year NBA career has included two stints with his hometown team, where he won one of his four titles in 2016. James said Sunday that the chance to challenge for a fifth title overall, and a second with the Lakers, had driven his rapid return from what he revealed was a torn tendon in his right foot. All eyes were on the 38-year-old forward at Crypto.com Arena, where he came off the bench for just the second time in his career -- the only other occasion coming in December of 2007 when he was with Cleveland. James checked in to a standing ovation with the Lakers up 12-9 in the first quarter -- going through his traditional hand-chalk toss near the scorer's table before hitting the floor. He led the Lakers with 19 points in 27 and a half minutes on court. Troy Brown and Malik Beasley added 18 apiece while Anthony Davis scored 15. But the Bulls crashed the party, Zach LaVine scoring 32 points and DeMar De Rozan adding 17 points and 10 assists as Chicago gave themselves a three-game cushion over the Washington Wizards for the 10th place in the East. "They came out with a sense of urgency tonight," Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. "We came out a little flat, turned the ball over early. We weren't aggressive enough, physical enough." The Lakers, who had gone 8-5 in James's absence, saw their three-game winning streak end. They slipped from eighth to ninth in the Western Conference, half a game ahead of Oklahoma City and half a game behind New Orleans and Minnesota. James said seeing his teammates claw out wins in his absence had spurred his injury return. "It definitely changed my mindset on me coming back and trying to be a part of this. Well, I don't even want to say changed my mindset. It just enhanced what I was trying to do as far as my workouts, as far as my treatment and everything." Elsewhere, Jaylen Brown scored 41 points and pulled down 13 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 137-93 home rout of the San Antonio Spurs. The injury absence of leading scorer Jayson Tatum was no problem for the Celtics, who kept the pressure on Milwaukee in the race for top seed in the East. Morant leads Grizzlies Ja Morant returned to the Memphis starting lineup after coming off the bench in his first two games back from suspension, scoring 27 points to lead the Grizzlies in a 123-119 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta. Desmond Bane added 25 points as the Grizzlies, second in the West, fended off Atlanta's late challenge to push their winning streak to six games. The Dallas Mavericks' downward spiral continued with a 110-104 loss to the Hornets in Charlotte, where Mavs star Luka Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the season, which will trigger an automatic one-game suspension. After failing to make a basket in the first quarter Doncic finished with 40 points, but it wasn't enough to stave off a second loss in three days to the hapless Hornets -- who are second-to-last in the Eastern Conference. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: Bulls beat Lakers in LeBron's return, Cavaliers clinch playoff berth

<p>Vanessa Bryant, the wife of late NBA star Kobe Bryant, has settled her cases with Los Angeles County for $28.85 million pertaining to the sharing of photos of the 2020 helicopter crash in which Kobe, 13-year-old Gianna Bryant, and seven others had died.</p>

<p>The crash photos were shared by the deputies among the staff of Los Angeles County sheriff and fire departments. They were also seen by some of the spouses of the employees and by a bartender at a bar where a deputy was sitting.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-lamelo-ball-leaves-game-after-fracturing-ankle-as-hornets-beat-pistons-566730">NBA: LaMelo Ball leaves game after fracturing ankle as Hornets beat Pistons</a></p>

<p>Vanessa Bryant, during an 11-day trial, had said in a testimony that this information about photos and sharing them added to her grief and she had panic attacks that the photos might still be out there.</p>

<p>The settlement amount, which Vanessa got, also includes $15 million a jury had awarded her after a federal court trial in August 2022.</p>

<p><strong>Read More:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/la-lakers-suffer-massive-blow-as-injured-lebron-james-facing-weeks-on-sidelines-reports-566662">LA Lakers suffer massive blow as injured LeBron James facing 'weeks' on sidelines: Reports</a></p>

<p>Luis Li, Vanessa's lawyer, in a statement, said, "Today marks the successful culmination of Mrs. Bryant's courageous battle to hold accountable those who engaged in this grotesque conduct. She fought for her husband, her daughter, and all those in the community whose deceased family were treated with similar disrespect. We hope her victory at trial and this settlement will put an end to this practice."</p>

<p>Los Angeles County's lead lawyer, Mira Hashmall, also agreed with the settlement and called it 'fair and reasonable.' Hashmall added that it "resolves all outstanding issues related to pending legal claims in state court, future claims by the Bryant children, and other costs, with each party responsible for its respective attorneys' fees."</p>

<p>Apart from Bryant, co-plaintiff of the case, Chris Chester, whose wife and daughter were among the people who died in the crash, received $19.95 million in the settlement.</p>

<p>Kobe, his&nbsp;daughter Gianna and others were flying to a youth basketball game when their helicopter crashed in the Calabasas hills area in Los Angeles on January 26, 2020. All nine people aboard had died in the crash.</p>


Vanessa Bryant, the wife of late NBA star Kobe Bryant, has settled her cases with Los Angeles County for $28.85 million pertaining to the sharing of photos of the 2020 helicopter crash in which Kobe, 13-year-old Gianna Bryant, and seven others had died.

Vanessa Bryant, the wife of late NBA star Kobe Bryant, has settled her cases with Los Angeles County for $28.85 million pertaining to the sharing of photos of the 2020 helicopter crash in which Kobe, 13-year-old Gianna Bryant, and seven others had died. The crash photos were shared by the deputies among the staff of Los Angeles County sheriff and fire departments. They were also seen by some of the spouses of the employees and by a bartender at a bar where a deputy was sitting. Also Read: NBA: LaMelo Ball leaves game after fracturing ankle as Hornets beat Pistons Vanessa Bryant, during an 11-day trial, had said in a testimony that this information about photos and sharing them added to her grief and she had panic attacks that the photos might still be out there. The settlement amount, which Vanessa got, also includes $15 million a jury had awarded her after a federal court trial in August 2022. Read More: LA Lakers suffer massive blow as injured LeBron James facing 'weeks' on sidelines: Reports Luis Li, Vanessa's lawyer, in a statement, said, "Today marks the successful culmination of Mrs. Bryant's courageous battle to hold accountable those who engaged in this grotesque conduct. She fought for her husband, her daughter, and all those in the community whose deceased family were treated with similar disrespect. We hope her victory at trial and this settlement will put an end to this practice." Los Angeles County's lead lawyer, Mira Hashmall, also agreed with the settlement and called it 'fair and reasonable.' Hashmall added that it "resolves all outstanding issues related to pending legal claims in state court, future claims by the Bryant children, and other costs, with each party responsible for its respective attorneys' fees." Apart from Bryant, co-plaintiff of the case, Chris Chester, whose wife and daughter were among the people who died in the crash, received $19.95 million in the settlement. Kobe, his daughter Gianna and others were flying to a youth basketball game when their helicopter crashed in the Calabasas hills area in Los Angeles on January 26, 2020. All nine people aboard had died in the crash.

NBA: Vanessa Bryant settles helicopter crash photos case for $29 million settlement

<p>Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is in his 20th year in the NBA and in this duration, he has won four championships, been a part of the All-Star game record-tying 19 times, and recently became the league's all-time leading scorer. LeBron's urgency, however, &nbsp;towards making it to the postseason is still intact. Before the 2023 NBA All-Star game, where LeBron managed 13 points, four assists and a rebound in 14 minutes of play before leaving to preserve himself, &nbsp;he termed the upcoming regular season games with the Los Angeles Lakers as the 'most important of his career' after the Lakers&nbsp;missed out on the postseason last year, fourth such year in LeBron's 19 attempts.</p>

<p>"It's 23 of the most important games of my career, for a regular season," LeBron said. "It's the type of mindset that I have, and I hope the guys will have, coming back off the break," he added. While many might argue that King James is taking it a tad too seriously, he explained his thought process.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-jason-tatum-erupts-to-win-2023-mvp-sets-record-for-most-points-in-all-star-game-563809">NBA: Jason Tatum erupts to win 2023 MVP, sets record for most points in All-Star game</a></p>

<p>"I want to make a push to make the playoffs," LeBron explained. "I don't want to see myself not being part of the postseason for two years straight. It's just not part of my DNA. We're sitting up here talking about the [scoring] record and things of that nature, and that's all cool, but I'm more passionate about trying to make the postseason and give ourselves a chance to compete for another Larry O'Brien Trophy. That's just who I am. That's what I'm cut from," the Lakers star added.</p>

<p><strong>Read More:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-dirk-nowitzki-paul-gasol-dwyane-wade-highlight-2023-class-of-hall-of-fame-finalists-list-563490">NBA: Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Gasol, Dwyane Wade highlight 2023 class of Hall of Fame finalists list</a></p>

<p>LeBron, aged 38, has missed 14 games this season so far including a three-game stretch due to left foot and ankle pain. He, however, still has managed to average 30 points per game with 8.4 rebounds and 7.0 assists. The Lakers, on the other hand, have been a bit inconsistent with a 27-32 record before the All-Star break, sitting 13th in the Western Conference.</p>

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Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is in his 20th year in the NBA and in this duration, he has won four championships, been a part of the All-Star game record-tying 19 times, and recently became the league's all-time leading scorer.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is in his 20th year in the NBA and in this duration, he has won four championships, been a part of the All-Star game record-tying 19 times, and recently became the league's all-time leading scorer. LeBron's urgency, however, towards making it to the postseason is still intact. Before the 2023 NBA All-Star game, where LeBron managed 13 points, four assists and a rebound in 14 minutes of play before leaving to preserve himself, he termed the upcoming regular season games with the Los Angeles Lakers as the 'most important of his career' after the Lakers missed out on the postseason last year, fourth such year in LeBron's 19 attempts. "It's 23 of the most important games of my career, for a regular season," LeBron said. "It's the type of mindset that I have, and I hope the guys will have, coming back off the break," he added. While many might argue that King James is taking it a tad too seriously, he explained his thought process. Also Read: NBA: Jason Tatum erupts to win 2023 MVP, sets record for most points in All-Star game "I want to make a push to make the playoffs," LeBron explained. "I don't want to see myself not being part of the postseason for two years straight. It's just not part of my DNA. We're sitting up here talking about the [scoring] record and things of that nature, and that's all cool, but I'm more passionate about trying to make the postseason and give ourselves a chance to compete for another Larry O'Brien Trophy. That's just who I am. That's what I'm cut from," the Lakers star added. Read More: NBA: Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Gasol, Dwyane Wade highlight 2023 class of Hall of Fame finalists list LeBron, aged 38, has missed 14 games this season so far including a three-game stretch due to left foot and ankle pain. He, however, still has managed to average 30 points per game with 8.4 rebounds and 7.0 assists. The Lakers, on the other hand, have been a bit inconsistent with a 27-32 record before the All-Star break, sitting 13th in the Western Conference. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NBA: LeBron James ready to push Lakers for 'most important 23 games of career'

<p>Basketball superstar LeBron James scripted history on Tuesday as he became the highest-scoring player in the history of NBA, breaking a 39-year record, previously held by the legendary&nbsp;Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Currently, in his 20th season in the NBA, LeBron&nbsp;passed Abdul-Jabbar's longstanding total of 38,387 points after nailing a 21-foot shot late in the third quarter, giving him 38,388 points and prompting wild celebrations in a packed Crypto.com Arena.</p>

<p>For a long time, basketball fans believed that&nbsp;Abdul-Jabbar's record would never be beaten. However, James, at the young age of 38 managed to achieve the unthinkable.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To make the occasion special,&nbsp;Abdul-Jabbar, who was sitting courtside was one of the first persons to congratulate James after achieving the historic feat.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"To be able to be in the presence of a legend and great as Kareem it means so much to me," said James as the play was halted to commemorate the once-in-a-lifetime event.</p>

<p>"Everybody that's ever been part of this run with me these last 20 years, I just want to say I thank you so much because I wouldn't be me without all your help, all your passion and all your sacrifices to help me get to this point."&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">EVERY ANGLE of the bucket that made LeBron James the NBA's all-time leading scorer 📽️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ScoringKing?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ScoringKing</a> <a href="https://t.co/BVUr9x78BH">pic.twitter.com/BVUr9x78BH</a></p>
— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1623194203386675200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Breaking the nearly four-decade-old record that Abdul-Jabbar seized from Wilt Chamberlain on April 5, 1984 has strengthened James' claim as the greatest to have ever played the sport.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/nba-tickets-price-skyrockets-as-lakers-forward-lebron-james-chases-history-559133"><strong>Read more:&nbsp;NBA: Tickets price skyrockets as Lakers forward LeBron James chases history</strong></a></p>

<p>Former LA Lakers player Magic Johnson took to Twitter to congratulate James and said the sport will never see another player of his class.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"This historic moment is so special because we will never see another LeBron James. He’s always been a pass-first leader whose ability to make his teammates better is one-of-a-kind; which makes his breaking the record even more incredible!"</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This historic moment is so special because we will never see another LeBron James. He’s always been a pass-first leader whose ability to make his teammates better is one-of-a-kind; which makes his breaking the record even more incredible!</p>
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/MagicJohnson/status/1623190575976685568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Even after achieving the momentous feat, the scary part is that James is showing no signs of slowing down. In the 2022-23 season, he is averaging more than 30 points per game and recently made his 19th All-Star game.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Basketball superstar LeBron James scripted history on Tuesday as he became the highest-scoring player in the history of NBA, breaking a 39-year record, previously held by the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Basketball superstar LeBron James scripted history on Tuesday as he became the highest-scoring player in the history of NBA, breaking a 39-year record, previously held by the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Currently, in his 20th season in the NBA, LeBron passed Abdul-Jabbar's longstanding total of 38,387 points after nailing a 21-foot shot late in the third quarter, giving him 38,388 points and prompting wild celebrations in a packed Crypto.com Arena. For a long time, basketball fans believed that Abdul-Jabbar's record would never be beaten. However, James, at the young age of 38 managed to achieve the unthinkable. To make the occasion special, Abdul-Jabbar, who was sitting courtside was one of the first persons to congratulate James after achieving the historic feat. "To be able to be in the presence of a legend and great as Kareem it means so much to me," said James as the play was halted to commemorate the once-in-a-lifetime event. "Everybody that's ever been part of this run with me these last 20 years, I just want to say I thank you so much because I wouldn't be me without all your help, all your passion and all your sacrifices to help me get to this point." EVERY ANGLE of the bucket that made LeBron James the NBA's all-time leading scorer 📽️#ScoringKing pic.twitter.com/BVUr9x78BH — NBA (@NBA) February 8, 2023 × Breaking the nearly four-decade-old record that Abdul-Jabbar seized from Wilt Chamberlain on April 5, 1984 has strengthened James' claim as the greatest to have ever played the sport. Read more: NBA: Tickets price skyrockets as Lakers forward LeBron James chases history Former LA Lakers player Magic Johnson took to Twitter to congratulate James and said the sport will never see another player of his class. "This historic moment is so special because we will never see another LeBron James. He’s always been a pass-first leader whose ability to make his teammates better is one-of-a-kind; which makes his breaking the record even more incredible!" This historic moment is so special because we will never see another LeBron James. He’s always been a pass-first leader whose ability to make his teammates better is one-of-a-kind; which makes his breaking the record even more incredible! — Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) February 8, 2023 × Even after achieving the momentous feat, the scary part is that James is showing no signs of slowing down. In the 2022-23 season, he is averaging more than 30 points per game and recently made his 19th All-Star game. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

WATCH | Record alert! LeBron James breaks NBA all-time scoring record

History awaits on Tuesday night as LeBron James puts the all-time NBA scoring record in his sights when the Los Angeles Lakers host the Oklahoma City Thunder.

LeBron James set to break NBA's all-time scoring record