NBA news: Lakers secure Western Conference third seeding ahead of play-offs
The Los Angeles Lakers secured third seeding in the Western Conference ahead of the NBA play-offs thanks to a dominant performance over second-seeded Houston Rockets on Friday.
Luka Doncic shone brightly in a 140-109 demolition job at the Crypto.com Arena as the Los Angeles franchise put enough daylight between themselves and the Denver Nuggets in fourth to wrap up their highest seeding since 2020.
Despite the Lakers going on to lose to the Portland Trail Blazers 109-81 on Sunday in their final game of the regular season, they will meet the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the play-offs.
Sports News Blitz and Film News Blitz writer Aidan Leo reviews another Doncic masterclass and looks ahead to the post-season.
Luka’s dominance continues against Rockets
With a solid Houston side in town, Doncic extended his sublime recent form with 39 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
Indeed, the Slovenian only played the first three quarters of the game, emphasising just how impressive his performance and the overall win were.
And the Lakers’ newest superstar will need to keep the ball rolling if the franchise is to stand any chance in the tough match-ups that await them in the post-season.
Elsewhere, Austin Reaves stepped up his game by dropping 23-7-6 while sporting a 60% field-goal percentage and shooting 50% from three-point range.
It was a vital performance from him, especially as he was the second scoring option on the night.
Rui Hachimura and LeBron James then dropped 16 and 14 points, respectively, to add to the commanding performances of Doncic and Reaves.
Unfortunately, James could only last 22 minutes before a groin injury forced an early shower.
Off the bench, small forward Dorian Finney-Smith walked away with an impressive 18 points and three steals, including hammering six three-pointers, highlighting the Lakers’ current depth and performance level.
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Lakers secure third seeding for play-offs
The Lakers’ statement win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday evening provisionally put them in third position in the Western Conference.
The trouncing of the Rockets then secured third seeding heading into the post-season.
For a while, it looked like the Lakers would play the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the play-offs.
However, the Warriors’ tight loss to the LA Clippers coupled with a Timberwolves’ victory over the Utah Jazz mean that Doncic and co. will meet the men from Minnesota this weekend.
The Warriors instead drop down into the play-in tournament, where they will meet the Memphis Grizzlies.
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Redick eases fears over LeBron’s injury
James has experienced groin problems throughout the season, missing seven games in the last month alone.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick has moved quickly to downplay fears, though, saying “Oh he’s fine, he’s fine” when asked about the superstar’s early departure from the court on Friday.
Fans no doubt breathed a huge sigh of relief at Redick’s confidence given the importance of James to the Lakers’ hopes in the play-offs, especially if they go up against his career rival Steph Curry and the Warriors.
Having avoided the play-in tournament and earned an extra week’s rest going into the play-offs, it is set up nicely for the Lakers to make a good tilt at the Championship.
Exactly how their season ends is, of course, up to the players, chief amongst them the irrepressible Luka Doncic.
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