In the first game of their Western Conference series on Sunday night, Los Angeles defeated Memphis 128-112 thanks to career playoff highs in scoring from Rui Hachimura (29) and LeBron James (21).
Austin Reaves scored 23 points and the Lakers pulled away in the final minute thanks to his nine-point run. D’Angelo Russell, who scored only two points in the Lakers’ play-in win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, finished with 19 points, and Anthony Davis had 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Memphis was led by Jaren Jackson Jr. with 31 points and Desmond Bane with 22. Before retiring in the fourth quarter with a right-hand injury, Ja Morant scored 18 points.
Los Angeles, the No. 7 seed, upset the No. 2 seed Memphis Grizzlies, who had the best home record in the NBA at 35-6.
Score: 115 CLIPPERS, 110 SUNS
(AP) PHOENIX — Kawhi Leonard scored 38 points, including two clutch 3-pointers in the last minute, as Los Angeles topped Phoenix in the first game of the Western Conference series.
Eric Gordon contributed 19 points and a late 3-pointer that helped the Clippers maintain their lead. Los Angeles’ Russell Westbrook was 3-for-19 from the field, but he scored three points in the last 17.7 seconds by sinking two free throws. He then blocked and swatted away a layup attempt by Phoenix’s Devin Booker on the ensuing possession, giving the Clippers possession with 10.1 seconds left.
The Suns’ first loss with Kevin Durant in the lineup saw him score 27 points for the team. Injuries prevented the two-time NBA Finals MVP from playing more than eight games for the Suns after they acquired him from the Brooklyn Nets in February.
Phoenix, who is trying to avoid a 2-0 home deficit, got 26 points from Devin Booker on Tuesday.