The Los Angeles Lakers officially secured the 8th seed in the Western Conference following a convincing 124-108 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on Monday (PHL).
The Lakers showcased their offensive prowess, led by LeBron James' remarkable stat line of 28 points, 11 rebounds, and 17 assists. He was complemented by Anthony Davis' 30 points and 11 rebounds.
D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves also contributed a combined 39 points, while Rui Hachimura added another 11 markers.
The win sets up a rematch between the two teams in the Play-In tournament, with the opportunity to claim the 7th seed.
The winner will face the defending champions Denver Nuggets, who locked up the no. 2 seed with a win over Memphis. The loser between the Pelicans and the Lakers will then take on the winner in the other West Play-in match between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors.
The winner then will draw the no. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder.
LA surged ahead in the second quarter, widening the gap to 37-26 with key plays from Taurean Prince and D'Angelo Russell.
Bron taps it out and DLo makes it count 👌 pic.twitter.com/sflBskiNbA
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 14, 2024
Despite brief responses from the Pelicans, the Lakers maintained control, with LeBron's defensive efforts against Zion Williamson fueling their transition game, resulting in a commanding 53-33 lead highlighted by a Rui Hachimura dunk.
Punch it, Rui! pic.twitter.com/AqLw3O2hgK
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 14, 2024
James then continued his stellar performance with a career-high 13 assists in the first half, supported by dominant play from Davis and Hachimura inside, giving the Lakers a comfortable 70-53 lead at halftime.
The Lakers didn't let up in the third quarter, as Austin Reaves and Russell stayed hot while the Pelicans appeared to falter, allowing the Lakers to surge to a commanding 91-58 lead.
Davis, however, had to leave the game in the fourth after his back locked up on him. He later told reporters that he will “no doubt” play in the rematch set for Wednesday (PHL).
AD on Tuesday's game: "No doubt that I'm gonna play." https://t.co/NkxTW9anc9 pic.twitter.com/bFr08Q5pIi
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 14, 2024
Despite multiple efforts by the Pelicans to cut the deficit, the Lakers proved to be just too much as they cruised to a comfortable victory.
CJ McCollum led the way for New Orleans with 25 points, four rebounds, and seven assists. Herb Jones added 18 points while Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively. New Orleans finished the season at 7th with a 49-33 record, while the Lakers ended the year with a 47-35 mark.
