LOS ANGELES — Anthony Davis had 25 points and 13 rebounds, LeBron James finished with 21 points as the Los Angeles Lakers took a 2-1 lead in their second-round playoff series with a 127-97 victory over Golden State Warriors.
D’Angelo Russell hit five 3-pointers while scoring 21 points for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who remained unbeaten at home in the postseason with a strong defensive effort against the reigning NBA champions.
Los Angeles seized control in the middle quarters, outscoring the Warriors 63-38 to turn Game 3 into a laugher.
“We´re one of the best defensive teams in the league, if not the best,” James said. “For us to reach our potential, we have to defend at a high level. Not one team in this league tests you more in that than Golden State, so we have to be alert for a test on every single possession.”
Elsewhere, Boston Celtics guard Jayson Tatum scored 27 points, Jaylen Brown had 23 as Boston beat Philadelphia 76ers 114-102 to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semi-final series.
Grant Williams didn’t score a point in 23 minutes, but his toughness in shaking off the sneaker to the back of his head symbolized the way Boston has continued to fight after a Game 1 embarrassment.
“I was like, ´Dang, I really got curb-stomped,'” Williams said. “I’m just thankful he didn´t like fully just lean his weight onto it. He definitely got me pretty badly. But then I think he felt that he landed on something, so he picked his foot up. It hurts a little bit.”
Joel Embiid had 30 points and 13 rebounds in his second game back from a sprained right knee after receiving his MVP trophy in a pregame ceremony.
Boston gave 76ers fans little reason to cheer again.
The Sixers pulled within five on De´Anthony Melton´s 3-pointer to get the crowd back into the game for all of 20 seconds before Malcolm Brogdon countered with a 3 to give Boston a 100-92 lead.
Al Horford crushed the Sixers again – as he has most of his career – when he buried a 3 for a seven-point lead.
Embiid, forced to try and win it alone without any serious offensive help, missed a pull-up 18-footer and Tatum drained a jumper that all but put the game away. Tatum hit one more 3 for good measure and the Celtics won their second straight.
“We just held the ball too long, too much,” Embiid said. “We don’t start our actions fast enough. That’s why it looks so slow. We’re not scoring the ball. We’re not making shots.”
Embiid was flanked by his parents and teammates as he received the MVP trophy from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver before Game 3. Sixers fans roared as Embiid hoisted the trophy high over his head.
Then the moment turned touching. Embiid´s young son, Arthur, ran onto the court and into the arms of his father.
Embiid held his son, who wore a “My dad is the Most Valuable Player” T-shirt, and wiped tears from his eyes as fans chanted “MVP! MVP!”
“Honestly, he´s the main reason why I´m really here,” Embiid said. “Becoming a father really changed my whole life. I just wanted to show him a good example.”
The good times didn´t last long.
