The Los Angeles Lakers, West Conference leaders, fell to a
122-136 defeat against the Sacramento Kings in their final playoff game of the regular NBA (National Basketball Association) season on Thursday. Buddy Hield scored 28 points for the Sacramento Kings, with
Bogdon Bogdavic adding more 27 points as they notched up just their third
victory. Lakers superstar LeBron James, who was listed as
“questionable” for the game with a sore right groin, scored 17 points
in less than 15 minutes of action — all in the first half.
For the Lakers, Dion Waiters scored 19 points and Markieff
Morris added another 14.
“I think our guys are ready to get into that playoff
environment,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said.
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‘bubble’
“LeBron was able to get in, get a little bit of rhythm
so he doesn’t have such a long layoff between games…So, there were plenty of
positives, but we certainly need to play better than today,” Vogel
continued.
Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies kept their
NBA playoff hopes alive with victories that spelled the end of the San Antonio
Spurs’ remarkable run of 22 straight post-season appearances.
The Grizzlies clinched a spot in this weekend’s play-in
series for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff berth with a 119-106
victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Suns completed a perfect 8-0 performance in the NBA’s
restart quarantine “bubble” in Orlando, Florida, with a 128-102
victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
The wins for Phoenix and Memphis combined to extinguish the
hopes of San Antonio shortly before the Spurs took the court against Utah.
The last time the Spurs failed to make the playoffs was 1997,
and coach Gregg Popovich then presided over a 22-season run of post-season
appearances that yielded five championships and a 170-114 playoff record.
Against Eastern Conference leaders Milwaukee, the Grizzlies
took full advantage of the absence of suspended Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Also read: Los Angeles Lakers maintain top spot in NBA despite loss
against Oklahoma City Thunders
Lithuanian Jarunas Valanciunas and Rookie of the Year
candidate Ja Morant both posted triple-doubles, Valanciunas scoring 26 points
with 19 rebounds and 12 assists and Morant putting up 12 points, 13 rebounds
and 10 assists.
Dillon Brooks added 31 points for the Grizzlies, who will
claim the eighth seed if Portland lose to Brooklyn but will be ninth if the
Blazers win.
The eighth-seeded team in the play-in series will need just
one win to advance to the post-season, while the lower-seeded team must win
two.
The Suns, meanwhile, could be facing the ultimate in
frustration — the only perfect record in the restart and still no spot in the
playoffs.
Devin Booker did what he could, scoring 23 of his 27 points
in the first half, when Phoenix connected on 65.9% of their shots on the way to
a 76-57 halftime lead.
The Suns led by as many as 28 points against a playoff-bound
Mavs team that gave star Luka Doncic limited minutes and had Kristaps Porzingis
sidelined with a foot injury.
