DRUMMOND BIG AS SHORTHANDED LAKERS HOLD OFF KD, NETS
Drummond finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds to help Los Angeles Lakers defeat the Brooklyn Nets, 126-101, on Saturday in a battle between two championship-caliber teams lacking much of their star power lately
The Lakers entered the game missing their two best players, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but they overcame that with energetic play, strong perimeter shooting and a lockdown defense.
“Today we were out here competing, making shots and, yeah, that’s the best win of the year I would say,” Lakers’ Dennis Schroder said.
Without James and Davis, the Lakers have become one of the NBA’s lowest-scoring teams over the past couple of weeks. James was missing his 11th game in a row and Davis has been sidelined for the past 25.
The Nets were without injured All-Star James Harden and then lost guard Kyrie Irving, who scored 18 points before being ejected for the first time in his career in the second half.
Carrying the load
Kevin Durant was forced to carry the load for the Nets. In his second game back from a hamstring injury, Durant tallied 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists in front of a pandemic-limited crowd of 1,700 at Barclays Center.
LaMarcus Aldridge added 12 points for the Nets, who have won eight of their last 11 games.
Irving and Schroder, who finished with 19 points, were both thrown out of the game early in the third-quarter for jawing too long after a foul was called on the Nets’ player.
“I learned a lot from today’s game, that we have a lot of guys in this locker room that are very tough,” Drummond said. “Despite who’s on the other side of the court, they’re going to come out and play.”
In Salt Lake City, Donovan Mitchell scored 42 points and the Utah Jazz won their 24th consecutive game at home with a 128-112 victory over the Sacramento Kings.
Mike Conley delivered 26 points and Joe Ingles came off the bench to score 20 to help the Jazz overcome a double-digit deficit en route to a one-sided win over the Kings. Conley also had five threes.
The Jazz became the first team to reach 40 wins this season after winning 11 of their last 13 games.