Lakers bounce back strongly from heartbreaking loss to Chicago Bulls, Doncic and James shine

Sport

Express newspaper

30/03/2025 9:31

If Saturday felt like a big game, with the crowd cheering and the music blaring in the final quarter, it was because both teams treated it as such, knowing the final two weeks of the season are upon us.

Both teams were looking for a moment of momentum to end the season strong.

The Lakers were coming off a devastating last-minute loss to the Chicago Bulls, while Memphis was playing its first game after firing coach Taylor Jenkins in a surprising move.

With the regular season over, it's very possible that the Lakers and Grizzlies will meet again in the first round of the playoffs for the second time in the last three years.

An early lead didn't matter much, as the Grizzlies quickly fell behind in a game where neither team could stop the other.

But in the final four quarters, key moves by the Lakers secured the victory.

Dorian Finney-Smith fought for passes against Zach Edey and Jaren Jackson Jr., Luka Doncic stood in front of Desmond Bane, LeBron James cleared the basket and Austin Reaves entered the paint and closed the game with a three-point play, scoring it with an animated aerial shot.

Despite the emotional damage from Josh Giddey's half-court shot and James' late mistakes in the final game against the Chicago Bulls, the Lakers showed no signs of concern.

They battled against the Grizzlies and won 134-127.

The Lakers' three stars delivered high-impact performances to close out the road trip with a win. Reaves scored 31 points, with eight assists and seven steals.

Doncic had 29 points, nine assists and eight steals, while James scored 25 points, with eight assists and six steals.

For the Grizzlies, Bane scored 29 points, Jackson had 24 and Ja Morant, playing for the first time in two weeks, scored 22.

But Memphis couldn't capitalize on their efforts. The Lakers made key stops when needed and weren't bothered by Memphis' shooting.

The Lakers also got significant contributions from their role players. Gabe Vincent hit four 3-pointers, and Rui Hachimura and Finney-Smith each made three.

The win marked the third time this season that the Lakers (45-29) defeated the Grizzlies, securing the tiebreaker between the teams in the tight Western Conference playoff race.

Saturday's win gave the Lakers a one-game lead over the Grizzlies for fourth place in the West, and now the Lakers will face the next challenge—hosting second-place Houston on Monday.