Lakers Lose to Suns in Game 4 100-92, Anthony Davis Suffered Left Groin Strain Injury

LeBron Has Little Help to Lead the Lakers

The Lakers, who were in the bottom tier of NBA teams when it came to three-point shooting in the regular season (hitting 35.4 percent from deep to rank 21st), were saved by their action from deep in the first half.

After hitting nine threes in the first halves of Games 1-3 combined, the Lakers hit nine of their 24 attempts from beyond the arc in the first half of Sunday's game, entering the break down by four points.

LeBron James was the Lakers' leading scorer with 11 points, but every Lakers player scored, and all but Andre Drummond (who scored three) were good for at least five points entering the break.

Anthony Davis was among the supporting cast in the first half, scoring six points, but the star—who suffered a left knee sprain during Game 3—didn't make it back onto the court for the second half. He was ruled out with a left groin strain.

Kyle Kuzma got the start in his place in the second half but only had nine points in 20 minutes by the time the fourth quarter got going. Montrezl Harrell made his first appearance at the start of the fourth, but for all of the extra effort, there wasn't enough power to keep the Lakers in it.

James ended the night with 25 points, while Marc Gasol only had 12 as the second-leading scorer for the defending champions.

AD INJURY UPDATE: Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Davis is ruled day-to-day in the aftermath of the game. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN added Davis' status for Tuesday's Game 5 is "unclear."

So Z Nation, what did you think about the Lakers loss against the Phoenix Suns??? And can the Lakers still beat the Suns in this series without AD???

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Anthony Davis, LeBron James Power Lakers to 2-1 Series Lead over Chris Paul, Suns

https://youtu.be/EcVYrY9_qKY

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the visiting Phoenix Suns 109-95 in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Thursday in Staples Center.

Lakers forwards Anthony Davis and LeBron James and point guard Dennis Schroder combined to score 75 points. They were at their best in the third quarter, when L.A. outscored Phoenix 33-23 to take a 76-63 lead into the fourth.

The Suns were largely ice cold outside Deandre Ayton (22 points on 11-of-15 shooting) and Cameron Payne (15 points on 6-of-11 shooting). Outside that duo, Phoenix shot just 18-of-56.

L.A. has now taken a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven matchup.

Lakers F Anthony Davis: 34 points, 11 rebounds

Lakers F LeBron James: 21 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds

Lakers G Dennis Schroder: 20 points, 4 assists

Suns C Deandre Ayton: 22 points, 11 rebounds

Suns G Devin Booker: 19 points, 6 assists

Suns G Cameron Payne: 15 points, 6 assists, 4 steals

Davis, James Carry Lakers To Victory

On a low-scoring night that brought back memories of late-1990s playoff basketball, James and Davis did more than enough offensively to put L.A. over the top.

James got things going early with a three-pointer

AD got up for a Kyle Kuzma lob late in the first half that ended with L.A. up 43-40

Ultimately, James and Davis led a Lakers team that outscored the Suns 58-38 in the paint and held Phoenix to just 35 points over the second and third quarters.

L.A. got a brief scare late when Phoenix whittled a 21-point lead down to eight following a Jae Crowder three-pointer with 2:47 remaining, but Davis and James had already given the Lakers enough breathing room to survive the rally.

The Lakers and Suns have only had one day off between games in this series but will now have two days of rest before Game 4. Perhaps that helps Paul a bit as the Suns look to tie the series at two games apiece.

If Paul looks more like his old self, then that would go a long way toward Phoenix getting back in this series.

Los Angeles will host Phoenix for Game 4 on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.

So Z Nation, what did you think about the Lakers win against the Phoenix Suns??? And how did you like AD and LeBron’s performance tonight???

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Anthony Davis Drops 34 Pts as LeBron James, Lakers Beat Suns in Game 2 to Even Series 1-1

The 2020 NBA champions have picked up their first postseason victory of 2021.

With a 109-102 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals at Phoenix Suns Arena, knotting the best-of-seven series at one apiece.

The win temporarily steals home-court advantage from the No. 2 seed in the West as the series shifts to Staples Center for Games 3 and 4.

After falling 99-90 in Game 1, the Lakers rallied back with strong performances by Dennis Schroder and Andre Drummond alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. After taking a six-point halftime lead, L.A. was able to clamp down in the second half for a bounce-back victory before flying home.

LAKERS TIE THE SERIES AT 1-1

#LakeShow  109

#WeAreTheValley  102

Anthony Davis: 34pts, 10rebs, 7asts, 3blks

Dennis Schroder: 24pts, 3rebs, 3asts

LeBron James: 23pts, 4rebs, 9asts, 2stls

Andre Drummond: 15pts, 12rebs, 2stls

Lakers Find Chemistry in Win

The differences from Game 1 to Game 2 weren't that hard to spot on the Lakers, and it had little to do with LeBron James or Anthony Davis. Though Davis slogged through a lackluster performance (13 points, seven rebounds) in Game 1, it was hard to pin the loss on the big man, even if he attempted to do so himself.

Instead, Tuesday's win came down to the contributions of the guys around Davis and James—both in the starting lineup and on the bench.

The prime example was center Andre Drummond, who finished Game 1 with 12 points and nine rebounds only to put up 11 points and 10 rebounds in the first half alone in Game 2. It wasn't just on offense where the Lakers stepped up, either.

Point guard Dennis Schroder was noticeably more active on defense, jumping into passing lanes and playing through contact in the paint when forced to rotate. Los Angeles forced at least 13 turnovers for the second straight game and handily won the rebounding battle 39-31 after getting particularly exploited there in Game 1 when the Suns took a 47-33 edge on the boards.

It certainly helped, too, that every Lakers starter except Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (no points, four rebounds) scored at least 15 points. That starting unit was heavily relied on for scoring Tuesday with the bench combining for just 13 points in the win.

Rarely will the Lakers pull off a victory with that type of outing from their depth players, but it showed how much of a rhythm the starting unit was in after a lackluster Game 1.

Los Angeles had 24 assists on 36 made field goals in Game 2. If that's the type of chemistry the Lakers can expect for the rest of the postseason, the defending champions may end up as the repeating champions.

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Lakers Fall To Suns in Game 1, Anthony Davis Takes Blame For Lakers' Game 1 Loss to Suns

The Lakers Need More from Anthony Davis

The Lakers have a center conundrum. Playing with Davis at the 5 is clearly L.A.'s best option, though the team justifiably doesn't want him getting beaten up constantly in the post.

Fair enough. But the Lakers are generally clunkier with Andre Drummond on the floor and worse on defense with Montrezl Harrell. Marc Gasol has become the forgotten man.

Granted, Davis was just poor no matter where he played Sunday, finishing 5-of-16 from the floor. Whether at the 4 or 5, he needs to be better, especially when it continues to appear as though James just isn't quite fully back up to speed after missing 26 games with a high ankle sprain this year.

The Lakers need more from Davis. They need him to play like a superstar. They need him to outplay Ayton. Phoenix is too good for the Lakers to overcome mediocre performances from their stars.

Anthony Davis had a rough go of it in the Los Angeles Lakers' 99-90 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, scoring just 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting from the field.

After the game Davis held himself accountable, saying he was primarily to blame for the Game 1 loss, AD explains that 'This One Is On Me'.

LeBron James came to his defense after the game, telling reporters "it's never just one guy, but I love when AD puts that pressure on himself. We're a better team when he's aggressive... But we've all got to be better as well."

"He always responds," James added. "And when AD is AD, we're the Lakers."

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LeBron’s Clutch 3 Seals Win VS Warriors 103-100 in Play-In Tournament, LeBron Triple Double

LeBron James Leads Charge for Lakers in Dramatic Play-in Victory Over Warriors

James hit a deep go-ahead three-pointer in the final minute as Los Angeles edged out the Warriors to secure the No. 7 seed.

The NBA could not have asked for a better play-in game. The Lakers and Warriors absolutely delivered on the hype surrounding their matchup with an instant classic Wednesday, as Los Angeles advanced to the playoffs by virtue of a 103–100 win. Golden State will remain in the play-in bracket and play the Grizzlies for the eighth seed. The Lakers will now play the Suns in the first round. Here are three thoughts on LA’s exciting win.

LeBron was not 100%. It didn’t matter.

LeBron James didn’t look like himself for most of Wednesday’s win, and yet he delivered a classic performance, recording 22 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, including the game-winning three over the outstretched arms of Stephen Curry. (The image of LeBron hitting a three over Curry, something we’ve seen the other way around numerous times, was instantly iconic.) Still, it’s fair to show a little concern for James headed into the playoffs.

He looked more ground-bound than usual on offense, and his signature freight-train attacks on the rim were few and far between. LeBron, because he’s LeBron, was able to compensate. His passing was masterful, and of course he found enough scoring through other means to have a massive impact. The ankle watch on LeBron is far from over, but if he’s actually gaining strength as the playoffs continue, that’s a scary thought for the West.

The Suns’ reward for finally ending their playoff drought is a matchup with a Lakers team that will be favorites as long as LeBron and AD are healthy. It should be a fun series, particularly with James going up against his buddy Chris Paul for the first time in the postseason. LA will have the experience and talent advantage, but Phoenix is going to be the much fresher team. One early quirk to keep an eye on—how much will Frank Vogel rely on Andre Drummond moving forward? The Lakers looked their best Wednesday with Davis as the long big, which has not been uncommon the last two seasons.

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A win over the New Orleans Pelicans won't be enough for the Los Angeles Lakers to avoid the NBA's play-in tournament.

The Portland Trail Blazers, who went 2-1 against the Lakers to claim the head-to-head advantage, cruised past the Denver Nuggets in their regular-season finale against the Denver Nuggets. As a result, the Blazers secured the sixth seed in the Western Conference and doomed Los Angeles to the No. 7 seed.

The Lakers will face off with the Golden State Warriors in their first play-in game.

The reigning champions haven't been in serious danger of missing out on the postseason at any point, but injuries to Anthony Davis and LeBron James have raised questions of whether they can make a successful title defense.

Lakers head coach Frank Vogel confirmed in February that Davis was dealing with a calf strain and Achilles tendinosis and would be out for four weeks. While obviously a setback, Los Angeles still had James, who has played at an MVP level. So Z Nation, what did you think about the Lakers regular season? And what do you think about the Lakers match-up vs Warriors in the play-in???

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Lakers Earn Win VS Pacers in LeBron’s Return, AD 28 Pts,10 Reb | Kobe Bryant Hall of Fame Induction

LeBron James returned to the court Saturday just in time to help the Los Angeles Lakers win their fourth in a row as the regular season nears its close.

James scored 24 points in 28 minutes to help Los Angeles earn a 122-115 road win over the Indiana Pacers. It was the superstar's first game back after missing six with a right ankle injury.

The Pacers appeared poised to complete a massive comeback with an 11-0 fourth-quarter run to cut their deficit to three, but LeBron came through with seven points in the next minute as the Lakers built their lead back to eight.

His three-pointer with 2:43 to play touched off the run and helped Los Angeles regain momentum and close out the win.

Anthony Davis added 28 points, and the Lakers (41-30) tied the Portland Trail Blazers for the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference to create an opening to avoid the play-in tournament.

The Pacers (33-38) were shorthanded with Domantas Sabonis out with a left quad injury as they jockey for seeding in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.

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Kyle Kuzma Helps Lakers Hold Off Rockets Without LeBron James, Anthony Davis

Turns out, the Los Angeles Lakers don't need LeBron James and Anthony Davis to beat the NBA's worst team.

They just needed Kyle Kuzma to play the role of hero with a game-winning layup with 6.9 seconds remaining.

The Purple and Gold extended their winning streak to three with a 124-122 victory over the Houston Rockets in Wednesday's Western Conference showdown at Staples Center. Talen Horton-Tucker, Andre Drummond and Kuzma led the way for the shorthanded Lakers, who improved to 40-30 overall as they fight to avoid the play-in tournament.

Notable Player Stats

Talen Horton-Tucker, G, LAL: 23 PTS, 10 AST, 2 STL

Kyle Kuzma, F, LAL: 19 PTS, 10 REB, 7 AST

Andre Drummond, C, LAL: 20 PTS, 10 REB

Balanced Attack Helps Lakers Hold Off Houston's Charge

Injuries are never ideal, but the timing for the Lakers could not have been much worse.

They entered play one game behind the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers in the race to avoid the Western Conference play-in tournament. Not only were they without James and Davis as they attempted to make up that ground, Dennis Schroder and Alex Caruso were also sidelined.

Fortunately for the defending champions, converting on the offensive end wasn't a problem against Houston's 27th-ranked defense.

Horton-Tucker, fresh off his game-winning shot against the New York Knicks, picked up where he left off and spearheaded the early effort by attacking the basket, throwing down a dunk and facilitating when defenders collapsed. Drummond dominated the paint in the third quarter, and the combination of Kuzma, Markieff Morris and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope provided secondary scoring.

Still, the Lakers failed to create any meaningful separation because of their defensive woes with the Rockets pouring in 43 points in the third quarter alone.

Frankly, Los Angeles needed a spark alongside Horton-Tucker if it was going to hold off the undermanned Rockets, and Montrezl Harrell and Kuzma provided just that. The pair scored 15 straight points for the home team in the fourth quarter, the last two of which ended Houston's 9-0 run and gave the Lakers the lead back for good.

The defensive effort was ugly at times, but seven players in double figures was just what the Purple and Gold needed without their two stars.

So Z Nation, what did you think about the Lakers win against the Houston Rockets???

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Talen Horton-Tucker Drills Game-Winning Triple For Lakers to Beat Knicks in OT 101-99

Don't pencil the Los Angeles Lakers into the Western Conference play-in tournament just yet.

Los Angeles won its second in a row with a 101-99 overtime victory over the New York Knicks in Tuesday's showdown at Staples Center. Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma and Andre Drummond led the way in LeBron James' absence for the Purple and Gold, who improved to 39-30 and moved within one game of the sixth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers.

While that trio spearheaded the effort, Talen Horton-Tucker drilled the winning three in the final seconds of overtime.

Solid showings from Julius Randle and Derrick Rose were not enough for the Knicks, who fell to 38-31 overall and 1-3 in their last four games. RJ Barrett had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but his deep three didn't fall.

Notable Player Stats

Anthony Davis, F, LAL: 20 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST

Kyle Kuzma, F, LAL: 23 PTS, 3 REB

Andre Drummond, C, LAL: 16 PTS, 18 REB, 3 AST, 2 BLK

Talen Horton Tucker, G, LAL: 13 PTS, 5 REB, 10 AST

Derrick Rose, G, NYK: 27 PTS, 6 AST, 6 REB, 3 STL

Julius Randle, F, NYK: 31 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST

Defense, Horton-Tucker's Heroics Save Day for Lakers

The Lakers still have their work cut out for them to avoid the play-in tournament, but there is still plenty of reason for optimism.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported James plans on returning for Wednesday's contest, and Davis has looked like the prime version of himself of late. The eight-time All-Star, who scored 36 points Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers and 42 points Sunday against the Phoenix Suns, figured to lead the way again against the Knicks.

While Davis was effective, it was Kuzma who provided an immediate spark off the bench with 18 first-half points with an array of three-pointers and drives into the lane.

His production helped keep the Lakers well within striking distance even though Alex Caruso was ruled out for the remainder of the game in the first half with right foot soreness. That left Los Angeles without three of its primary ball-handlers in James, Caruso and Dennis Schroder.

Someone needed to fill the void alongside Davis and Kuzma, and Drummond did just that in the third quarter by getting to the rim, controlling the glass and even swatting Nerlens Noel's dunk attempt.

It was a fitting play, as the Lakers relied on their top-rated defense to overcome their lack of firepower throughout the contest. In fact, the Knicks scored 20 points in the third quarter and just 15 in the fourth, which allowed Los Angeles to overcome the double-digit deficit it faced with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation and force overtime.

That is when Horton-Tucker shined with a three-pointer to kick off the scoring in the extra period, assist on a Davis basket, two key free throws and the winning three.

The Lakers remain at home to face the Houston Rockets on Wednesday, while the Knicks host the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.

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Anthony Davis Dominates with 42 Pts, 12 Rebs as Lakers Defeat Devin Booker, Suns 123-110

The Los Angeles Lakers took an important step toward avoiding the play-in tournament.

Los Angeles defeated the Phoenix Suns 123-110 in Sunday's potential Western Conference playoff preview at Staples Center. Anthony Davis led the way in LeBron James' absence for the Purple and Gold, who improved to 38-30 and snapped their two-game losing skid in the process.

Lakers Big Win!!! 💜💛 #LakeShow

Anthony Davis, F, LAL: 42 PTS, 12 REB, 5 AST, 3 STL, 3 BLK

Alex Caruso, G, LAL: 17 PTS, 8 AST, 3 STL

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G, LAL: 17 PTS, 3 STL, 4-of-9 3PT

Andre Drummond, C, LAL: 6 PTS, 12 REB

Ben McLemore, G, LAL: 12 PTS, 4-7 3PT

Montrezl Harrell, C, LAL: 12 PTS, 3 REB, 4-6 FG

AD Sets the Tone as LeBron-Less Lakers Roll

It would be easy to casually dismiss the Lakers' issues and assume things will be fine come playoff time based on last season's championship, but their 2020-21 struggles are not a new development.

They were 15-23 in their previous 38 games and 1.5 games behind the Portland Trail Blazers in the race to avoid the play-in tournament. Throw in the absences of James and Dennis Schroder, and it was starting to look like the Purple and Gold will have their backs against the wall in must-win situations in the play-in tournament just to make the traditional eight-team field.

Although Kyle Kuzma (lower back tightness) was also out, Los Angeles came out with the urgency one would expect given its situation and jumped out to a commanding 12-point halftime lead.

Davis was unstoppable, extending his game to the outside and scoring on the blocks against an overmatched Phoenix frontcourt. That drew additional defenders in, which opened up outside shots for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and lanes for Alex Caruso and Talen Horton-Tucker as the Lakers played one of their best halves in weeks.

Phoenix tried a zone at times to throw doubles Davis' way, but even that didn't work as he dropped in fadeaways with feathery soft touch, established position down low and helped set up more looks for Caldwell-Pope and Ben McLemore.

McLemore in particular caught fire off the bench as the Lakers pulled away in the third, and he fittingly drilled a three in the final seconds of the quarter off a Davis double team to extend the advantage to 21 and all but put it away even though Phoenix cut into the lead down the stretch.

While there are still questions about James' status, AD looks healthy and ready to roll. If the Lakers get the version of the eight-time All-Star who took the floor Sunday, they might avoid the play-in tournament after all.

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💜GO LAKERS💛