Black Mamba 'in the building'
James leads tribute on Kobe Bryant Day with 30pts and 24/8 nod to Lakers legend
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Lakers star forward LeBron James taking a shot as Carmelo Anthony of the Portland Trail Blazers attempts to block in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round play-offs on Monday. James fired 30 points in Los Angeles' 135-115 victory to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
ORLANDO • On Kobe Bryant Day, the Los Angeles Lakers felt their former great's presence and honoured his memory with a 135-115 win over the Portland Trail Blazers to take a 3-1 lead in their National Basketball Association (NBA) Western Conference first-round series.
In the first quarter on Monday, the Lakers established a 24-8 lead - Bryant's two playing numbers.
LeBron James paid special attention to the scoreboard before helping Los Angeles complete a wire-to-wire victory.
"I was like OK, he's here in the building," said the star forward.
"I am proud of my team, the way we played. I am extremely blessed and honoured to continue to remember Kobe Bryant and Gigi Bryant and all the fallen people who were part of that tragic incident."
The Lakers wore special black and yellow-trimmed "Black Mamba" jerseys to remember Bryant who died, along with his daughter and seven others, in a helicopter crash seven months ago. Last Sunday would have marked his 42nd birthday.
The Lakers led 80-51 at the half at the Walt Disney World Complex near Orlando. It was the most points in a half for Los Angeles in a play-off game since 1987.
James finished with 30 points on 10-of-12 shooting, 10 assists and six rebounds in just 28 minutes.
Kyle Kuzma scored 18 points and Danny Green added 14 as the Lakers dominated. They shot 56.3 per cent from the field, including 17 of 39 from three-point range. And their 25 fast-break points were the most by a team in the play-offs since Bryant's Lakers had 25 in Game 2 of the 2001 NBA Finals.
"The emotional aspect did feel different than any other game we played since we've been in the bubble," Lakers coach Frank Vogel said.
"To have a game on 8/24, Kobe Bryant Day, all of us in our whole organisation, but particularly our players, felt that and carried that emotion onto the playing court."
Anthony Davis tallied 18 points, five rebounds and five assists before leaving the contest in the third quarter with back spasms.
According to Spectrum SportsNet, Davis said he will be "100 per cent going to be ready" for Game 5 today, when the Lakers can clinch the best-of-seven series with a win.
Portland star Damian Lillard, averaging 28.7 points in the series before Monday, also exited in the third quarter with a right knee injury.
He was already nursing a dislocated finger and finished with just 11 points in 27 minutes.
The guard underwent an MRI after the game and was set to take a second test yesterday. He remains a doubt for today's clash.
Jusuf Nurkic delivered 20 points and 13 rebounds and C.J. McCollum, playing with a fractured vertebra in his lower back, scored 18 for the Trail Blazers.
"Not good," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said of his team's position.
"You're down 1-3, it's a tough position against a good team.
"We'll regroup, it's one game at a time. You can break out all the cliches, but we know what we're up against when you're down to a good team 3-1, so we've got to battle."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
