Lakers survive in OT to get out of play-in

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Lakers survive wild end towards Timberwolves to safe 7-Seed

The Lakers storm again from a 15-point deficit and outlast the Timberwolves in time beyond regulation to safe the Western Convention No. 7 choose.

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James had 30 factors and 10 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers reclaimed seventh place within the Western Convention playoffs with a grueling 108-102 time beyond regulation win over the under-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves within the play-in event of the NBA on Tuesday evening.

Dennis Schroder scored 21 factors and secured the win with two free throws by 8.4 seconds for the Lakers, who meet second-placed Memphis within the first spherical beginning Sunday.

Karl-Anthony Cities scored 24 factors and Mike Conley hit three free throws with 0.1 seconds left in regulation to tie it for the Wolves, who will host New Orleans or Oklahoma Metropolis on Friday for eighth place and one First-round date with top-seeded Denver beginning Sunday.

The Pelicans host the Thunder on Wednesday evening, and Minnesota should then beat the winner to make the playoffs for the third time in 19 seasons.

Anthony Davis had 24 factors, 15 rebounds and an especially ill-advised foul on Conley, who scored 23 factors. Los Angeles nonetheless survived its back-and-forth assembly with Minnesota, placing on an impressed efficiency within the first three quarters whereas enjoying with out starters Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels.

Gobert is suspended for beating teammate Kyle Anderson throughout Minnesota’s regular-season finals towards New Orleans, whereas McDaniels is out indefinitely with a damaged hand after banging right into a wall in frustration on Sunday.

Los Angeles finally gained it on protection, holding the Wolves to seven factors within the ultimate 11 minutes halfway by way of the fourth quarter whereas the Lakers got here again from a 15-point deficit within the second half. After main for a lot of the evening, Minnesota went scoreless for six full minutes.

Schroder drilled a tied 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds to play in regulation however Wolves pressured an time beyond regulation when Conley hit his free throws after Davis stepped on his foot after already making a 3-pointer strive had revealed.

Los Angeles lastly took the lead with a 3-pointer after Rui Hachimura’s opening possession of time beyond regulation, who had 12 factors. Wolves missed 11 straight photographs earlier than Anthony Edwards dipped at 2:36 in time beyond regulation.

Edwards scored simply 9 factors – greater than 15 under his common – and left the pitch briefly within the second half to tape his left shoulder.

D’Angelo Russell had a nightmare sport for Los Angeles towards the crew that traded him in February, scoring two factors on 1-of-9 capturing with eight assists. He was benched in favor of Schroder, who put in a superb efficiency on his return from a two-game harm layoff.

The sport was the Lakers’ first low season competitors to be performed in entrance of a full house crowd since James joined the franchise 5 seasons in the past. Los Angeles spent the 2020 championship run within the Florida bubble, enjoying to a half-full enviornment in its first-round loss to Phoenix in 2021 and lacking the 2018 and 2022 playoffs totally.

The Lakers haven’t had a full viewers for an irregular season sport since April 2013, when their enviornment was nonetheless Staples Heart.

Minnesota coach Chris Finch stated he’s spent the final two days “sorting by way of the particles, if you’ll” of Wolves’ eventful season finale, which left his crew with out their greatest rim safety and attacking level defender James in current membership conferences.

However Minnesota appeared higher than the Lakers early on, taking an early lead earlier than a 14-2 run ended the second quarter with a 60-49 halftime lead. Wolves’ lead finally dwindled after Cities left the sport with 5 fouls early within the fourth quarter.

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