The champion is about to end!
The Los Angeles Lakers have their backs to the wall in the NBA playoffs against the Phoenix Suns and need two wins from the next two games. In addition, the Lakers have to recover from a historic mega-smack in game five. The team around superstar LeBron James went down with 85: 115 against the Suns. (Everything about the NBA)
At half time it was 36:66. It was loud SportRadar the largest deficit in the franchise in 25 years. The German Dennis Schröder, who didn’t score a single point in 26 minutes of play, was particularly unfortunate.
“I definitely have to play better,” said the 27-year-old self-critically: “We can all play better, but it starts with me.”
The master had to do without his superstar Anthony Davis. The service provider was absent due to a groin injury previously suffered in the game.
Lakers without Davis historically bad
Without Davis, the Lakers were overwhelmed.
Only LeBron James was in normal form with 24 points, seven assists and five rebounds. The superstar could not prevent the humiliation.
James stopped playing in the last quarter and disappeared into the dressing room five minutes before the end of the game.
“We got a kick in the buttocks. It’s that simple,” he said afterwards: “We have to improve significantly to force a seventh game.”
Kyle Kuzma also sounded the alarm: “We were shown out there. That should give us enough to come back.”
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Phoenix had decided the game early. The Suns, led by Devin Booker (30 points), hit eight threes before the break. In the end there were 14 hits from a distance. Outstanding above all: the winner only allowed himself four turnovers in the entire game.
Lillard sets a three-way record
The only bad news: Phoenix superstar Chris Paul had to leave the game early. His shoulder injury from the first encounter worsened again. Paul walked off the record at the end of the third quarter.
In the sixth duel against the Lakers, he should be back. (NBA schedule)
The Denver Nuggets are just about to move into the next round. Nikola Jokic led his team with 38 points, eleven rebounds and nine assists to 147: 140 after double overtime against the Portland Trail Blazers.
But the outstanding man on the pitch was Damian Lillard from Portland. He scored 55 points and hit 12 threesomes. He set the record for the most hits within a game in the playoffs and drew level with Klay Thompson.
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets have reinforced their title ambitions.
Nets march into the next round
The mega-team defeated the Boston Celtics with 123: 109 and thus made it clear to move into the next round.
James Harden managed a triple-double with 34 points, ten rebounds and ten assists.
Brooklyn is only the second team after the Milwaukee Bucks that is already further.
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With sports information service (SID)
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