The NBA Play-In Tournament began on Tuesday with two games played in the Western Conference. First in the 7-8 contest, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 110-106. Then in the more important 9-10 elimination game, the Sacramento Kings trounced the Golden State Warriors 118-94. What this all means is that the Lakers are the seventh seed, the Pelicans will play the Kings for the eighth seed, and the Warriors are out of the playoffs.
In Sacramento’s win, it was simply a dominant second half performance by the Kings. In the final 24 minutes, they outscored the Warriors 64-44. All five Kings starters reached double digits in points. Small forward Keegan Murray of Cedar Rapids, Iowa led the Kings with 32 points. Point guard De’Aaron Fox of New Orleans, Louisiana had 24 points, power forward Harrison Barnes of Ames, Iowa had 17 points, center Domantas Sabonis of Portland, Oregon had a double-double (16 points and 12 rebounds), and shooting guard Keon Ellis of Eustis, Florida had 15 points.
Like the Kings, all five Lakers starters reached double digits in points. The NBA all-time scoring leader and power forward LeBron James of Akron, Ohio led the Lakers with 23 points. Point guard De’Angelo Russell of Louisville, Kentucky had 21 points. Center Anthony Davis of Chicago, Illinois had the double-double (20 points and 15 rebounds), shooting guard Austin Reaves of Newark, Arkansas had 16 points, and power forward Rui Hachimura of Toyama, Japan had 13 points.
The Lakers’s win came down to the wire and had an exciting finish. The game was tied at 99 with one minute and 58 seconds left. That is when the Lakers took control with a three-point shot from Russell, a dunk and four free throws made by Davis, and two free throws made by Reaves.
