Los Angeles Lakers thrash Memphis Grizzlies, wrap up series in Game 6
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James driving against Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr during Game 6 of their NBA Western Conference play-offs.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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LOS ANGELES – LeBron James demanded from his teammates the sort of urgency needed in a vital National Basketball Association (NBA) play-off game, and the Los Angeles Lakers duly responded with a thrashing of the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
D’Angelo Russell scored a play-off career best of 31 points on 12-of-17 shooting to help the Lakers punch their ticket to the Western Conference semi-finals with a 125-85 victory in Game 6 of their series.
James had 22 points for the Lakers, who won 4-2 in the first-round match-up. Anthony Davis added 16 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots.
“It was definitely a Game 7 mentality for us,” James said on ESPN.
“We understood that we had an opportunity to play in front of our fans, and we wanted to try to end it tonight.
“We came out with a discipline. From the start of the game, we were just locked in on our game plan all the way until the final seconds.”
The Lakers, who shot 53.8 per cent from the field, will play either the Sacramento Kings or Golden State Warriors
“This thing is just getting started,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said.
“We passed level 1. Now we’ve got to start shifting our focus to whoever comes out of that game on Sunday.
“LeBron had some great words of wisdom he shared after the game. It’s about us, just as much as it’s about our opponent. We have to be the best versions of ourselves.”
Santi Aldama scored 16 points off the bench, Desmond Bane had 15 points and Jaren Jackson Jr added 14 for Memphis. Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks had 10 points apiece for the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies shot a woeful 30.2 per cent from the field and finished 12 of 38 (31.6 per cent) from behind the arc, while the Lakers were 15 of 44 (34.1 per cent) from three-point range.
“We didn’t play our best basketball at all, in my opinion, in these six games,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said.
“We got two wins in this series, but we were far from where we needed to play. Discipline, execution, defensively, the urgency, and then just our production on offence... (we’ve) just got to find ways to get better.”
In other news, two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant and Nike announced on Friday they have agreed on the terms of a lifetime deal,
Durant and American footwear giant Nike, whose endorsement deal dates to 2007 when he was an NBA rookie, announced the agreement on the Boardroom website.
Nike’s partnership with the Phoenix Suns forward has led to 15 signature shoe releases and another in the works, with the apparel maker also backing his grassroots basketball initiatives – including court refurbishment in needy neighbourhoods worldwide.
REUTERS, AFP
