LeBron, AD combine for 73 points in victory
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — LeBron James had 37 points, including six in the final minute, and 10 rebounds and Anthony Davis had 36 points and 14 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies 123-120 on Friday night.
Davis, returning from a left eye injury that kept him out of the Lakers’ loss to Golden State on Tuesday, was 11 of 22 in this game. James shot 13 for 20 to help the Lakers snap a twogame losing streak.
GG Jackson scored 31 points to lead the Grizzlies, while Scotty Pippen Jr. had a career-high 28. Jake LaRavia also finished with 28 points, and Jordan Goodwin added 23 points and 16 rebounds.
Memphis led 99-98 early in the fourth quarter, and was still close through the quarter. LaRavia’s two free throws with 1:06 left gave Memphis a 118-117 lead. But James scored on a drive and then on dunk sandwiched between two free throws as Los Angeles pulled away.
The Lakers already are assured of making the Western Conference play-in round of the postseason and are just jockeying for position. The Lakers began the day in a three-way tie with Sacramento and Golden State for spots 8-10. The Kings and Warriors played their games later Friday night.
Los Angeles emerged from the play-in last season before dispatching the second-seeded Grizzlies and Golden State to reach the Western Conference finals, where the Lakers were swept by Denver, the conference’s top seed and eventual NBA champion.
Memphis, meanwhile, is simply limping to the finish line in a season filled with injuries. As they did in previous games, the Grizzlies had more players on the injury list and not dressing (13), than active for the game (eight).