Morant's Heroics Not Enough as Lakers Take Game 3, Los Angeles leads 2-1
After years of anticipation, the Lakers faced off against Ja Morant and a strong defense in a playoff game that Lakers fans had eagerly anticipated.
Fans gathered in droves outside the arena, enthralled by the prospect of watching a playoff game at home for the first time since 2013. The 2021 first-round matchup with Phoenix was in front of limited fans.
Taking a commanding lead early on, the Lakers quickly asserted their dominance over one of the league's rising stars and ultimately came out after a hard-fought battle. After at the Crypto.com Arena, the Los Angeles Lakers emerged victorious, winning the game 111-101. The Los Angeles Lakers have taken a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies. A sellout crowd at Crypto.com Arena witnessed the Lakers' dominant 111-101 win on Saturday, led by Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
James contributed 25 points to go along with his trademark playmaking ability. Davis put up an impressive 31 points and pulled down 17 rebounds. The duo showed off their immense talent and experience, feeding off the energy of the crowd. They put on a show for Lakers fans who had not seen their team in a home playoff game since 2013.
There was no denying that Davis and James were the stars for the Lakers, but they weren't alone. As a result of their impressive offensive performance, D'Angelo Russell scored 17 points, Rui Hachimura scored 16, and Austin Reaves chipped in with 13. In light of the Lakers' dominant start to the game, their collective effort proved too much for the Grizzlies.
There is no doubt that the Lakers authored one of the most dominant quarters in NBA history, which made the Grizzlies' task much more difficult. In the first quarter, they dominated the game and built a huge 35-9 lead by the end of the first quarter, taking control of the game. Memphis could not recover from such a poor start. Despite their best efforts to mount a comeback, they never seriously threatened the Lakers' lead.
Morant, the Grizzlies' rising young star, was impressive for the team in defeat, scoring an excellent 45 points on the night, including six three-pointers. After missing Game 2 with a hand injury, he came back in style. However, it was not enough to overcome the Lakers, who were simply too good on the night.
The win was significant for the Lakers, who struggled in Game 2, losing by 14 points on the road. But with the combined energy from their poor start in Game 2 and the return of a home crowd for the first time in nearly a decade, they looked like a different team altogether.
As the series moves forward, they will look to capitalize on their momentum and close out the series in the coming games, with the ultimate goal of winning another championship in the NBA.
The Lakers didn't waste any time when it came to Game 3, and they came out with guns blazing to take the game.
During a post-game interview after Game 2, Brooks poked at James, calling him 'old' and suggesting he had lost a step. Nevertheless, James proved Brooks wrong by attacking the basket for his first two points. Fans howled every time Brooks touched the ball, daring him to shoot, and erupted in cheers when he missed. When asked if he was trying to make a point with his play, James responded, "I've been doing this too long. I've made enough statements.". "No. We had an opportunity to come home and play well on our home floor, and we did that. No statement was made. We just wanted to play well and got a win. And we want to try to do that in Game 4, as well.
"But I don't need to make statements."
Practicing fast paid off with a good result for the Lakers. By the end of the first quarter, they had a commanding 35-9 lead, tied for the most lopsided first quarter in NBA postseason history. It was a frustrating quarter for the Grizzlies, as only three of their 25 shots were made. In the second quarter, the Lakers kept pushing, increasing their lead to 29 points.
However, the Lakers were about to learn a truth about the NBA - being up by 29 points doesn't mean the game is over. Coach Darvin Ham reminded his team that things are not always going to be perfect and that they cannot panic. Yet, the Lakers kept their lead and won.
Coach Ham's wisdom were heeded, and the Lakers "dug in" and "made multiple efforts" to secure the win. The crowd got the sellout playoff atmosphere they wanted, and the Lakers delivered a dominant performance. After relying on their defense to drive their offense, Memphis found their rhythm as the Lakers cooled down. It was a game of few scoring opportunities as Memphis and Morant maintained their attacking style.
Morant sank a pair of threes despite having his wrist and hand heavily taped and padded towards the end of the second quarter. By closing the half on a 13-1 run, the Grizzlies gained momentum after the Lakers scored only 18 points.
In Game 2, Brooks called James "old" in a post-game interview, and he seemed comfortable with his provocation. However, in Game 3, Brooks got ejected seconds into the second half after hitting James in the groin and receiving a flagrant two. Davis scored nine points in the final four minutes of the third quarter to extend the Lakers' lead, even though Memphis had reduced the deficit to 13 points midway through the quarter. The Grizzlies made another push in the fourth quarter, with Morant scoring 24 points, but the Lakers won.
Game 4 is Monday night in Los Angeles with tip-off at 10 pm.