James brings the Lakers to the brink of winning the playoffs
LeBron James made a 3-pointer to force overtime before the Los Angeles Lakers moved closer to a series victory in the NBA playoffs.
The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player tied the score with 13 seconds left against the Houston Rockets and nearly clinched the victory by hitting the rim with a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
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But the Lakers won 112-108 in overtime and took a 3-0 lead in the first round of the best-of-seven playoffs.
James, 41, stepped up again in the absence of injured players Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, posting team-highs of 29 points and 13 rebounds.
Marcus Smart also recorded a double-double, scoring eight of his 21 points in overtime and adding a team-high 10 assists.
“With two of our best players down, we have to play desperately,” Smart said. “We have to be the most desperate team.
“That’s how we play, and that’s how we win, right? The chemistry has been good and you’re starting to see the guys’ confidence increase because of that.”
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A sprained ankle sidelined Houston’s leading scorer, Kevin Durant, for the second time in the series.
The Rockets will also host the fourth game on Sunday and will need to win to prevent the Lakers from winning the series and securing a spot in the Western Conference semifinals.
Conference rivals San Antonio lead the Portland Trail Blazers 2-1 after fighting back to earn a 120-108 win on the road.
Stephon Castle scored 33 points for the Spurs while rookie reserve Dylan Harper added career highs of 27 points and 10 rebounds.
Victor Wembanyama was on the Spurs bench but was unable to play as this season’s defender of the year remained in concussion protocol after suffering a head injury in the second match on Tuesday.
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The Boston Celtics took a 2-1 lead over Eastern Conference rivals Philadelphia with a 108-100 win at the 76ers.
Jayson Tatum scored 11 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, while Jaylen Brown also scored 25 points for Boston.