The Los Angeles Lakers won their first play-off game at home in eight seasons to take a 2-1 series lead with an 109-95 victory over the Phoenix Suns in the NBA last night.
Anthony Davis again led the way for Los Angeles Lakers with 34 points and 11 rebounds in the first round of the best-of-seven Western Conference play-offs.
LeBron James scored 21 points as nearly 7,500 fans watched the first play-off game at the Staples Centre since 2013.
Los Angeles Lakers won last year’s NBA title in a bio-secure bubble on neutral ground.
Davis became the first Los Angeles Lakers player since four-time NBA champion, Shaquille O’Neal to score more than 30 points and come up with more than 10 rebounds in successive play-off games.
Los Angeles Lakers’ legends, Elgin Baylor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kobe Bryant are the only other players to also manage the feat for the club.
The Phoenix Suns led 28-27 after the first quarter, but Los Angeles Lakers led 43-40 at half-time, and then went on a 16-6 run at the start of the second half to take control of the game.
A reverse lay-in by LeBron James, which brought huge applause from the home crowd, put Los Angeles Lakers 21 points up in the lead in the fourth quarter and put them on their way to victory.
Phoenix Suns, led by Deandre Ayton with 22 points and 11 rebounds cut Los Angeles Lakers’ advantage to eight points with just under three minutes left as Jae Crowder landed a three-pointer. However, that was as close as they would get. Game four is in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Khris Middleton recorded 22 points, eight rebounds and five assists as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Miami Heat 113-84 to take a 3-0 lead in their first-round Eastern Conference play-off series. Milwaukee Bucks can complete a series sweep tomorrow in Miami.
Nikola Jokic scored 36 points and Austin Rivers notched 16 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, as the Denver Nuggets beat Portland Trail Blazers 120-115 on the road to take a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference series.
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