The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t have to travel too far for the In-Season Tournament semifinals as it was a short flight to Las Vegas where they typically hold home court advantage.
The Lakers have treated the tournament as if it were the playoffs and that mentality was on full display as they absolutely demolished the New Orleans Pelicans to advance to the Championship round.
From the opening tip, Los Angeles established their presence on both ends of the floor though it was New Orleans that led after the first quarter. However, the game flipped in the second quarter when LeBron James exploded offensively to give the Lakers a double-digit lead they never relinquished.
James amazed the T-Mobile Arena crowd with a flurry of 3-pointers, each one deeper that the last. However, he didn’t stop there as he controlled the tempo and pace of the game to a degree that only few players can.
The King continued his torrid scoring in the third quarter, igniting the team’s offense and earning himself a seat for the entirety of the fourth quarter. James led all scorers with 30 points on an efficient 9-of-12 shooting including a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. He also added eight assists and five rebounds in just 23 minutes.
Anthony Davis typically torches his former team, but with James on such a roll, he was able to focus on what he does best and that’s protect the paint. Davis is turning in a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year campaign and he was a menace anytime the Pelicans tried to threaten the paint.
Davis scored just 16 points, but he pulled down 15 rebounds to go along with five assists, two steals and two blocks. Like James, he was able to get some much-needed rest.
Taurean Prince has quietly been shooting the basketball well the past couple of weeks, though he had his best shooting performance of the season as he drained five 3-pointers to open up the floor for his teammates. Prince also showed his utility defensively taking on assignments from C.J. McCollum to Brandoin Ingram.
Meanwhile, Austin Reaves once again led the bench in scoring with 17 points. Reaves also added seven assists and five rebounds for good measure.
What’s next for Lakers
The Lakers will take on the Indiana Pacers in the In-Season Tournament Championship game on Saturday for a chance to win the inaugural NBA Cup and $500,000 for each player.
Because they made the championship, the Lakers will play 83 games this regular season although Saturday against the Pacers will not count towards their record.
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