James roars in Lakers win
LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- Lebron James returned from a one-game absence to post a 23-point tripledouble on Wednesday, March 27, and lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 136-124 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
James sat out the Lakers' comefrom-behind double-overtime victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday with a sore left ankle.
Anthony Davis, who played nearly 52 minutes on Tuesday, was sidelined with a hyperextended left knee, but Rui Hachimura provided a big lift, drilling seven of eight three-point attempts on the way to 32 points with 10 rebounds to help the Lakers win their fifth straight, as they vie to work their way out of the play-in tournament and straight into the playoffs.
Against a Grizzlies team playing out a season blighted by injuries, the Lakers led by eight at halftime and never trailed after the break.
James added 14 rebounds and 12 assists for his fourth triple-double of the season.
The 39-year-old superstar, who said he'd have to be "strategic" in dealing with the ankle injury that has nagged him much of the season, said he didn't change his game because of Davis's absence.
"Read and react to the game, see how the defense is playing and seeing the rhythm of my guys," he said of his approach.
The Golden State Warriors, fueled by 23 points from Andrew Wiggins and two late baskets by Stephen Curry, beat the Magic 10193 in Orlando, despite the ejection of Draymond Green just 3min 36sec into the contest.
Curry was left shaking his head when Green was tossed, receiving two quick technical fouls for heatedly arguing a foul call.
It was the fourth ejection of the season for Green, who missed 16 games after he was suspended in December for swinging an arm into the head of Suns center Jusuf Nurkic.
Curry was clearly frustrated at the incident, shaking his head and pulling his jersey over his face.
But the Warriors, who maintained their tenuous hold on the final playin berth in the Western Conference, regrouped to finish the first quarter with a 27-11 lead they wouldn't relinquish.