LAKERS EDGE CLOSER AFTER EDGING ROCKETS
ANGELES: The Los Angeles Lakers raised their 2020 NBA championship banner on Wednesday, then scraped a 124122 victory over the hapless Houston Rockets to keep alive their hopes of direct entry to the 2021 play-offs.
The Atlanta Hawks clinched their first play-off berth since 2016 with a 120-116 comefrom-behind victory over the Washington Wizards, and the New York Knicks were assured of their first post-season spot since 2013 when the Boston Celtics fell 102-94 to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
But with the regular season speeding toward its close on Sunday, the Lakers remained outside the top six in the Western Conference and likely looking at having to advance through the play-in tournament for the teams ranked seventh through 10th in each conference.
Lakers reserve Kyle Kuzma drove for the go-ahead layup with 6.9 seconds remaining, putting Los Angeles up 123-122 after they had surrendered nine straight points to fall one point down.
Lakers forward Wesley Matthews then managed to poke the ball away from Houston’s Kelly Olynyk on what would be the Rockets’ final possession, and Talen Horton-tucker made a freethrow to complete the scoring.
Even with superstars Lebron James and Anthony Davis sidelined by injuries, the Lakers wouldn’t have expected to cut it so fine against a Rockets team that owns the worst record in the league.
Before tip-off, a crowd of 4,087 saw the Lakers finally raise the franchise’s 17th championship banner to the rafters.
‘THIS IS FOR YOU’
The Lakers had waited until pandemic restrictions eased enough to allow some fans in the stands for the moment and James, still feeling the effects of a high ankle sprain suffered in March, was on hand to address the crowd.
“We could not send this banner to the rafters without you guys,’’, he told fans. “This is absolutely for you guys. On the road to backto-back (titles), starts in about a week.”
The teams occupying the final two play-off spots in the West, Portland and Dallas, both won on Wednesday, Portland downing the league-leading Utah Jazz 10598 and Dallas beating the New Orleans Pelicans 125-107.
Luka Doncic scored 33 points with eight rebounds and eight assists for the Mavericks, whose victory eliminated the Pelicans from post-season contention.
Kristaps Porzingis returned from a seven-game injury absence to score 19 points in 22 minutes on court for the Mavs.
Portland, meanwhile, were fuelled by 30 points from Damian Lillard and 26 from CJ Mccollum.
More pieces of the play-off puzzle fell into place in the East, where Trae Young scored 33 points to propel the Hawks past the Wizards.
John Collins, fed by Young, drained a go-ahead three-pointer with 24.8 seconds left to play as the Hawks erased a 13-point third-quarter deficit and secured the win.
“We were fighting all game’’, Young said after the Hawks withstood a 34-point, 15-assist performance from Wizards star Russell Westbrook.