LeBron James’ unreal double-double lifts Lakers over Grizzlies in OT as sequence lead grows

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James made the tying layup with 0.8 seconds left in regulation earlier than scoring 4 of his 22 factors in time beyond regulation, and the Los Angeles Lakers surged to a 3-1 lead of their first-round playoff sequence with a 117-111 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday evening.

Austin Reaves scored 23 factors and Anthony Davis had 5 of his 17 in time beyond regulation for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who’re on the point of their first playoff sequence victory outdoors the Florida bubble since 2012.

Los Angeles surged again from a seven-point deficit with 5 minutes left in regulation with a rally that abruptly started when D’Angelo Russell hit three consecutive 3-pointers, and the Lakers by no means trailed in OT.

Desmond Bane scored 36 factors and hit a tiebreaking layup with 6.7 seconds left in regulation for the second-seeded Grizzlies, who must rally from a 3-1 sequence deficit and win a Sport 7 for the primary time in franchise historical past to advance.

Ja Morant scored 19 factors together with his injured proper hand, however Davis blocked his jumper on the regulation buzzer. The Grizzlies then missed six of their first eight pictures in time beyond regulation whereas committing two key turnovers.

James, who additionally had 20 reboudns, coolly scored the basket that compelled time beyond regulation over heavy defensive stress, and he hit an enormous layup whereas getting fouled to place the Lakers up by 5 with 29.1 seconds to play. Dennis Schröder and Austin Reaves buried two free throws apiece to seal the Lakers’ twelfth win in 15 video games relationship to the common season.

Sport 5 is Wednesday evening in Memphis.

Davis didn’t look sharp for a lot of Sport 4 whereas combating an obvious hip damage that required a heating pad on the bench, however he blocked 4 pictures, and the Lakers excelled each time the massive man was defending the rim.

Dillon Brooks had 11 factors for Memphis after getting ejected from Game 3 for hanging James within the groin.

Morant’s 45-point efficiency in Sport 3 wasn’t sufficient to dig the Grizzlies out of an early 29-point gap in his first recreation again from an damage absence with a sore proper hand. He reacted with apparent ache after he jammed the hand into the bottom once more in the course of the second half of Sport 4, however saved taking part in and even dunked on Rui Hachimura an prompt earlier than the third-quarter buzzer.

The Grizzlies fell behind by an NBA record-tying 26 factors after a traditionally dangerous first quarter in Sport 3, however they dramatically improved their begin in Sport 4. The Lakers nonetheless jumped out to a 15-point lead within the first half earlier than Memphis acquired again in it with an enormous surge to shut the primary half.