Unsurprisingly, the Lakers advanced to the second round of the playoffs, 4-1, beating Portland in Game 5 last night, 131-122. A LeBron James and one Anthony Davis of gala were out for the occasion with respectively 36 points at 14/19, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and 43 points at 14/18, 9 rebounds and 4 assists in 35 and 36 minutes.
The team will face the series winner Houston – Oklahoma City in the Western Conference semifinals, led 3-2 by the Rockets, who won 114-80 in Game 5 earlier this Saturday.
In the absence of Damian Lillard (returned to Portland to have his knee examined), C.J. McCollum signed 36 points at 13/25, 6 rebounds and 7 assists, Carmelo Anthony 27 points at 9/16 and 7 rebounds. Gary Trent Jr. (16 points at 5/13, 4 rebounds, 2 assists) had taken Lillard’s place in the 5 for the Blazers, who only had 9 players available (Collins out for his ankle, Little due to dehydration and Wenyen Gabriel for quadriceps tendonitis). Lakers side, Rajon Rondo, who returns from a broken thumb and who suffers from the back, has still not played. Dion Waiters, suffering from a migraine, was uncertain before the game but was ultimately available (he did not play).
Up to 8 points in the 1st half, the team definitely lost control in the 3rd quarter, dominated 32-24 by Los Angeles. But after falling 14 points in the period, Portland fell back to 100-97 on a layup from McCollum before leveling on a 3-point.Anfernee Simons came to complete an 8-0 at 9’46 from the end. James answered it with 3 points, Trent Jr. also equalized from a distance (109-109) with 7 minutes before another signed award-winning shot Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for Californians. Long-distance Trent Jr. closed the gap 114-112 to 4’53, then it was Davis who got everyone to agree with a personal 11-0 to help LA (54.1% on shots vs. 47.3%) to come off 123-112.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JY4KV7Uv2E
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