Memphis Grizzlies 111 vs 117 Los Angeles Lakers summary: stats, scores and highlights | NBA Playoffs Game 4
Clips against the wall
In the last two games, Russell Westbrook has shown he is still capable of being a star and leading a team at the late stages of his career. He had 30, 12 and 8 assist in Game 3, and put up 37 last game to almost complete the Clips comeback. Tonight LA will need more of the same from their future Hall of Famer who will be leading his shorthanded side tonight against a red hot Suns team knocking on the door of the second round.
The Los Angeles Lakers needed extra basketball to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies and take a 3-1 lead on the road for Game 5. LeBron James had the first 20-20 playoff game of his career in the 104-102 victory from the Crypto.com Arena.
AD and LeBron start slow
The Lakers would have to work for this win in a stark contrast to the way Game 3 played out. LA was up 24 in the first quarter on Saturday but Memphis put up a fight from start to finish on Monday night.
Neither LeBron nor Anthony Davis would set the tone for the Lakers early on, instead it was Jared Vanderbilt who had 10 of the Lakers first 13 points. With their two stars having sub par nights on the offensive end, LA would need their role players to step up and that’s exactly what they did.
Davis would score just 4 point through the first three quarters and ended the night with 12, but Vanderbilt, DeAngelo Russell and Austin Reaves all stepped to the stage to carry their two stars until crunch time.
Russell's 4th quarter hot streak
LA would build up a 15 point lead in the second quarter before Memphis went on a run before halftime and into the third quarter to jump ahead thanks to some brilliant play from Desmond Bane. Ja Morant looked like his wrist was bothering him a little more than it did when he had 45 in the previous game, which meant someone else needed to have a big night. That someone was Bane who had 36 points and 7 rebounds in the Game 4 loss in LA.
Memphis would keep the lead until midway through the fourth quarter when DeAngelo Russell ignited from downtown, hitting three straight threes scoring 9 of his 17 points in a flurry to give the Lakers a lead which would go back and forth for the final 3:30 of regulation.
Game 5: Wednesday 7:30 ET
Bane looked like he was on the verge of sealing the game after Ja Morant hit him in transition for a go ahead lay up with 6.1 on the clock. LeBron, who had not hit 20 points yet, took the game in his hands and tied the game up with a strong drive to the rack dropping the lay up with 0.8 on the clock to send the game to overtime.
LeBron would take over in the OT session, and finish off the game with an and one lay up over Dillon Brooks who has been very vocal about LeBron and his defensive prowess in this series. It was LeBron who got the last laugh posting 22 points, 20 rebounds and 7 assists to send the Lakers to Memphis with a 3-1 lead. In the history of the NBA, teams with a 3-1 advance 95% of the time.
The Lakers are headed to Memphis with a 3-1 lead. In the history of the NBA only 5% of the teams that had that lead in going into Game 5 have failed to reach the next round.
LeBron pushed it to OT in the fourth and iced it late on in OT with this AND 1 on Dillon Brooks.
The Grizzlies knew who it was going to, but they still couldn't stop LeBron going to the bucket and tying up the game with 0.8 to go.
Bane gave the Grizzlies the lead with under 10 seconds left on a night in which he went for 36 points but it wouldn't be enough.
Russell had three straight threes to give the lead back to the Lakers after losing it in the third and into the fourth.
LeBron did a little bit of everything... Actually he did a lot of everything. He logged his first 20-20 game in the playoffs and had a couple of huge blocks and took two late charges on Ja Morant in the second half.
It was Jared Vanderbilt coming out with 10 early points until LeBron started to get things working from downtown.
Reaves fouled by Brooks and he hits two of two to close the game out!
LA lead 3-1 after an overtime win from the Crypto.com Arena!
Schroder to the line after the foul by Tillman and he hits both FTs.
Morant's three pointer came up short, and the Grizzlies couldn't save it from going out of bounds!
James just took Brooks off the dribble hits the runner and got the foul!!! FT is no good but the Lakers lead by 5 with 28.7 to go.
Timeout Grizzlies!
Davis with the follow off the Reaves missed jumper and it lead is 3 with a minute to go.
Brooks intercepts the pass from Schroder and he takes it coast to coast for the slam!
LeBron just pulled down his 20th rebound to extend a Lakers possession. He's got 20 and 20!
Bane missed a three ball and we have a timeout Lakers with 1:53 to go in the fourth quarter!
Davis goes to the line after the foul on Jackson Jr. and he hits one of two FTs.
Morant shifts into the paint and hits the floater in the lane.
James goes gliding to the basket and he finishes with a finger roll off the glass.
Davis flips one over his head after the Lakers come up with the steal in the backcourt!
THE OT SESSION IS UNDER WAY!
Morant was blocked by Davis and we are headed to overtime!!!
LeBron his a 3/4 court shot, but well late of the buzzer to send us to OT!!
James drives down the lane and lays it high off the glass with 0.8 second to go!!!
Jackson with a huge block on one end and Ja laid it off behind the back for Bane for the wide open lay up with 6.7 second to go in the game!
Reaves takes it on the dribble and finishes the lay up off rthe glass.
Morant to the line after the foul on LeBron and he hits one of two FTs with 1:04 to go.
Bane was fouled by Russell on the jumper and he hits both FTs as Russell's night comes to an end.
Russell missed a couple threes, but Davis goes to the line after getting a second offensive rebound of the possession! He hits one of two FTs to put the Lakers in the lead with 2:00 to go.
James just took another charge from Morant on a huge defensive effort!!!
Three minutes left in the fourth quarter!
Bane steps back and hit the deep two to tie the game up!
Russell did it again!! He hits another three, his third straight and the Lakers take the lead!
Russell with back to back three balls!! This time from the top of the key and the Grizzlies are going to take a timeout with 4:18 to go in the fourth quarter!
Russell answers back with a huge three after the dish from Reaves!
Bane with a pump fake and pull up from the top of the key and he strings the three ball! He's got 30 on the night!
Davis just stripped Bane and went for the lay up on the other end but was called for an offensive foul!
Tillman heading to the line after the foul on Russell and he hits both FTs.
Defensive three seconds on Davis and Bane hits the FT.
Reaves sent to the line by Bane and he hits both FTs with 6:31 to go in the fourth quarter.
Bane stops and pops from the elbow and he's having a terrific night with 26 points to lead Memphis.
Davis finally sees the ball go in the basket with a deep two after a kick out from LeBron.
Schroder took a shot on a screen from Jackson Jr. and the refs will review the play to see if there was anything more to the foul.
Schroder floats it off the glass from outside the lane.
Bane going at Davis and finishing off the glass over the big man!
Tillman running the floor and he gets the lay up to go off the Roddy assist.
Timeout LA with 9:41 to go in the fourth quarter.
Jackson Jr. following the Tillman miss with a rebound and put back.
Reaves gives the Lakers the lead with a corner three off the dish from LeBron!
Morant with the drive and the buzzer beating slam with the left hand to send the Grizzlies into the four quarter up by a bucket!
Hachimura was wide open in the corner and he strung a three to tie the game!
Morant with a sensational drive and finish at the rim!
Reaves over the top and James was right there to tip in the alley oop down low.
Schroder at the line after the foul on Kennard and he hits both FTs.
Brooks hits the wide open three ball and that's a big bucket from Brooks.
James at the line after the foul on Roddy and he hits both FTs.
Reaves hits the second of two FTs out of the break.
Reaves going to the line after the Kennard foul and he misses the first FT before the Grizzlies take a timeout with 3:09 to go in the third quarter.
Aldama with a patient drive to the bucket and gets it to go off the glass.
Hachimura going to the line after a foul on Aldama and he hits both FTs.
Russell hit with a clear path foul after a turnover on Davis and Morant hits one of FTs.
`Bane with the rebound and he goes coast to coast for the lay up on the break!
Davis missed a chippy down low but Vanderbilt was there for the put back after crashing the boards.
Bane strings a three ball out of the inbound! He's got 20 on the night!
LeBron at the line after a foul on Brooks and he hits one of two FTs.
Tillman gives the Grizzlies their first lead since the first quarter. The assist came from Morant with the behind the back dish and he is back in the game after a little scare.
Morant running the break and takes it at Davis, going up and around the big man. He landed on that right hand and is in noticeable pain.
Timeout Lakers with 7:32 to go in the third quarter.
Tillman takes it at AD and LeBron and gets the contested shot to go underneath.
Russell with another lay up and he's got a couple buckets out of the break.
Bane at the line and he hits both FTs after the foul on James.
Russell pulls up and hits the jumper from just outside the paint.
Tillman dashing to the iron and he finishes with the lay up after the Bane dish.
Vanderbild on the jam after the feed from Davis.
Morant answers back with a floater and the Grizzlies are going blow for blow to start the half.
Russell floats one in from the middle of the lane.
Jackson Jr. down low and he gets the close range effort to go.
Davis hits a jump hook, and he had a terrible half scoring, with just 2 points.
Bane ended the first half hot and continues to start the third quarter with a mid range jumper.
Reaves starts the half with a short jumper and he leads the Lakers with 13 points.
WE ARE BACK IN PLAY FOR THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION FROM LA!
LeBron and the Lakers came out and had a block party in the first half. Davis has 3, LeBron has 2 and the Lakers have a total of 8 in two quarters.
Roddy's got 9 points off the bench on a night where Ja is not getting the looks he might not have hoped for.
LeBron and the Lakers ended the first quarter on a 15-5 run to take command of the lead which they would hold for the entire second quarter, but it started to slip right before half.
We are headed to halftime and the Grizzlies are right back in this game!
Bane has 13 and Jackson Jr. has 10 and 7 after two quarters.
Vanderbilt got the Lakers started early with 10 quick points. He's got 11 to match LeBron and Reaves at the break.
Bane strokes a three ball and Grizzlies go into the break on a 14-1 run in the last three minutes!
Reaves fouls Jackson Jr. and he hits both FTs with a minute left in the half.
Bane into the paint and he hits the floater. He's got 10 on the night.
Vanderbilt at the line and he hits one of two FTs after the foul on Bane.
Morant goes wiggling to the iron and he gets the lay up to go off the glass.
Jackson Jr. with the offensive board and the put back AND 1!!! FT is good to complete the three point play.
Bane with the offensive board and the put back down low.
Reaves fouled by Bane after breaking out in transition again and he hits both FTs.
AD was T'd up and Bane hit the technical FT.
Reaves running the break and he gets the lay up to go off the Vanderbilt outlet.
Bane answers back with a three ball of his own, and boy would the Grizzlies love to see him heat up
Reaves on the catch and release three ball after the kick out from James and he drills it!
Brooks pulls up at the FT line and hits the jumper over Davis.
James on the inbound and he hits the runner after taking a push in the back.
Roddy strokes a three after the jump ball at half court and let's see if that gets the Grizzlies going.
The call has been overturned and Davis will be spared his 3rd foul and we will have a jump ball.
Davis just picked up a foul on Roddy and the Lakers will challenge it. If the call stands, it's his third.
Timeout with 6:22 to go in the half.
The call stands and the Lakers keep the ball. After the review Brown Jr. goes right at the rack and gets the lay up to go.
Out of bounds play given to LA, and the Grizzlies think that the ball is theirs. They will challenge with under 7 minutes to go in the half. That shows you how important this call and this moment of the game is for Memphis.
LeBron with a block, a rebound and then a spot up jumper on the other end!
James streaking to the bucket and finishing with the reverse off the Reaves dish.
Bane makes the technical FT, but an offensive foul will end that possession after the take foul.
The Lakers take a timeout with 8:39 to go after Davis was slow to get up after a collision on a missed lay up and Reaves had to take a foul after Memphis started to run a break.
Schroder slicing down the lane and hits the tear drop of Jackson Jr!
Timeout Grizzlies after the Lakers extend the lead to 9!
Jackson Jr. at the line and he hits one of two after the foul on Schroder.
Beasley drills the three ball off the bench and the role players are stepping up early in Game 4.
Roddy going at LeBron, gets the foul and the bucket! FT is good to complete the three point play.
LeBron running the break and he slipped it off to Brown Jr. for the transition lay up.
Brown Jr. sneaks between two Grizzlies and gets the offensive board and put back.
LeBron went up for a block on the Jackson Jr. hook shot, but got there late and was called for a goal tending.
We are at the end of the first quarter and the Lakers closed the opening 12 minutes with a 15-5 run.
Vanderbilt leads all scorers with 10 points, LeBron has 5 and Davis has 2 and picked up 2 quick fouls.
Morant leads the Grizzlies with 5, and Brooks has 4.
LeBron stops and pops from behind the line in transition and drills the pull up three!
Schroder stops on a dime and hits the pull up from outside the lane.
Jones finds a seam down the left side and gets the scoop lay up off the glass to drop.
LeBron at the line after the foul on Roddy and he gets his first points of the night with two made FTs.
Schroder at the line after the foul on Morant and he hits both FTs.
Tillman kept the play alive with an offensive board, and Kennard makes LA pay with a three ball from the wing!
Hachimura with a deep two off the bench and he's looking to add to his hot series.
Russell weaves through the lane and gets the lefty lay up to drop from high off the glass.
Davis hits both FTs after the foul on Brooks.
Roddy in the corner and he strings the three ball in the corner after coming right off the bench!
Bane drills the pull up fro the wing for his first bucket of the night.
Reaves pulls up from the elbow again, and he's and Vanderbilt are the only ones on the board for LA.
Morant answers back and that right wrist seems to be doing alright tonight!
Vanderbilt drills another three from the corner and he's got 10 early points!
Reaves on the pump fake and the pull up from the elbow!
Timeout Grizzlies with 6:46 to go in the first quarter.
Vaderbilt drills a corner three and he's got the first 7 points of the night for the Lakers.
Morant is on the board with a lay up, and how is he going to follow up his huge night?
Vanderbilt has the Lakers first four points after blocking a three and then running the floor and getting a transition dunk.
Brooks to the line after the foul on Davis and he hits both FTs.
Vanderbilt hitting the boards hard, and gets the tip in after the Lakers started the game 0/6 from the field.
Brooks opens his account with a mid range jumper. He'll do most of his talking on the defensive end, but he gets started with a deuce.
Tillman drops a mid range jumper, and he was huge in the Game 2 win. Does he have anymore surprises in store tonight?
Jackson Jr. opens up the scoring with a lay up on the first possession of the game. We called on him to have a big night, that's a start.
WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM LA!!!
HEAT WIN!!!
The 8 seed Miami Heat just took a 3-1 lead over the top seeded Milwaukee Bucks in Game 4 from the Kaseya Center. Jimmy Butler put up a career high 56 points to put the Heat a game away from downing the Bucks.
What does Jaren Jackson Jr. have to say after allowing AD to run rampant in the paint last game. The newly named Defensive Player of the Year is going to have to step up and shut down the Lakers big man tonight if the Grizzlies want to go back home with the series tied.
The Lakers are keeping it consistent in their opening round series against the Grizzlies. Head coach Darvin Ham has found a starting five he likes and he is sticking with it. AD and LeBron are accompanied by Vanderbilt, Reaves and Russell who will be looking to get off to a similar start as last game.
Grizz with a Ja problem?
It seems like a silly question, but there may be something behind the ridiculous notion. Are the Grizzlies better without Ja Morant? This always seems to be the debate whenever a star goes down, and the role players step up for a number of games late in the season. Think of Dallas and Luka Doncic last year. All Luka was carry the Mavs to the Western Conference Finals after missing a few games that led to this debate. Now doubters of Ja will be wondering the same thing. The only game they have won in this series was the game that Morant had to sit out. Tyus Jones is an excellent point guard and would be a starter on a whole lot of teams throughout the league, but I’m sorry he doesn’t give you what Ja gives you. Maybe for a game or two Jones can get the Grizz going in the right direction, but to carry a team in the playoffs, you need a star like Ja Morant.
Brooks not backing down
Dillon Brooks has accepted the role as the villain of this series, with his antics and bully ball. It’s not an easy job trying to stop, or slow down, LeBron and he has been tasked to do so. He said before the playoffs started that this was the matchup he wanted, although he may be eating his words at the moment. He called LeBron old, and said if he they aren’t putting 40 on him then he wouldn’t give anyone respect but his team are down 2-1 against an agitated Lakers team looking to shut Brooks up as quickly as possible.
No margin for error
Memphis comes into tonight with their backs against the wall, needing a win just to give them a little breathing room before going home for Game 5. If the Grizz are going to grind out a win tonight it’s going to be up to that man right there. Ja had a sensational final quarter, but Memphis cannot afford to start as slow as they did in the last game in LA.
Lake show ready for the spotlight
Anthony Davis had given some productive performances over course of the first three games of the series, but he had yet to dominate a game like he did on Saturday night. His 31 points and 17 rebound night were enough to ease the Lakers past the Grizz. LeBron may be the league’s All-Time leading scorer, but if LA is going to make a deep run in the playoffs, then it’s going to be up to their big man to lead them to the promise land.
Game 3 recap
It was over before it even started for the Grizzlies in Game 3 on Saturday night. The Lakers had a historic first quarter, jumping out to a 35-9 lead in front of the first playoff sell out in Crypto.com Arena since it changed it’s name. Ja Morant returned to action after injuring his hand and wrist in the series opener, but he couldn’t help the smack down that LA put on Memphis right out of the gate. Anthony Davis paced the Lakers with 31 points and 17 rebounds as LA went into the fourth quarter with a 20 point lead. Ja Morant caught fire in the final 12 minutes scoring 24 of his 45 in the last stanza, but it was too little to late as the Lakers cruised to a 111-101 win to take a 2-1 lead coming into Game 4.
We are live from Crypto.com Arena
Hello everyone and welcome to Los Angeles where the Lakers are looking to jump out to a 3-1 lead over the Grizzlies tonight in Game 4 of the opening round of the playoffs. Memphis won Game 2 without Ja Morant but in their two games with their superstar they have been out classed by the LA Lakers. Tonight may not be a must win, but it’s about as close as it gets for a second seeded that look over matched by the seventh seed.
Grizzlies vs. Lakers: Game 4
Desperation is knocking at the door for the Memphis Grizzlies tonight in Los Angeles as the Lakers come into Game 4 leading 2-1 and have a great chance to head back to to the FedEx Forum just one win away from closing out the two seed in the West. AS English will be with you all night providing live stats, scores, highlights and analysis of tonight’s late tip off from California.