LeBron James scored 37 points and 10 rebounds, whereas Anthony Davis added 36 points and 14 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 123-120 on Friday night.
Davis made a return to the starting five after recovering from a left eye injury. Davis shot 11 of 22 in this game while James shot 13 for 20 to help the Lakers end a two-game losing streak.
“I felt fine. No issues,” Davis said. “Felt pretty good out there.”
On the other hand, GG Jackson added 31 points to top-score for the Grizzlies, while Scotty Pippen Jr. scored a career-high 28. Furthermore, Pippen added five rebounds, six assists, and four steals.
“He sticks his body in there, lays it on the line,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said of Pippen, adding, “(he) was really impressive. This was one of his best games all season.”
“The emphasis going into the game was to play hard,” Pippen said. “We knew they were playing for something, and they probably thought we were playing for nothing. But a lot of guys here are playing for opportunities. That’s our motivation.”
Meanwhile, both Davis and James played for more than 40 minutes and head coach Darvin Ham said they know what is at stake at this crucial stage of the tournament.
“In the moment, you’re not worried about that,” Ham said. “You’re worried about securing the victory you came to get. … Everyone knows what time it is. It’s that time of the year. Whatever we need, and however long we need to push guys, we’ve got to have it, and they understand that.”
James said they can’t live in the past and they need to give their absolute best in the remaining matches.
“Every game matters. Every seed matters,” James said. “Wherever you fall, you can’t play in the past. I can’t say I would much rather be where we are today than the 1 seed. That would be a lie. Seeds matter, and wherever you fall, you take that challenge.”
The Lakers will play their last regular season match against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
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