LeBron James followed his own miss and scored the winning goal 12.8 seconds ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 103-101 victory over the LA Clippers on Thursday.
LA Clippers 101-103 Los Angeles Lakers
3:33
Highlights of the LA Clippers game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Orlando Arena
LeBron James followed his own miss and scored the winning goal by 12.8 seconds when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated 103-101 on Thursday when the NBA season restarted at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando LA Clippers scored.
Anthony Davis scored 34 points and got eight rebounds for the Lakers, while James – who had trouble 6-of-19 shooting – ended up with 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
Anthony Davis rams home in the Lakers restart game against the Clippers
Kyle Kuzma added 16 points for the first-placed Lakers (50-14), who extended their lead by six and a half games over the second-placed Clippers (44-21) in the Western Conference standings.
Paul George had 30 points for the Clippers, but he missed a three-point attempt last summer. Kawhi Leonard ended with 28 points, Patrick Beverley added 12 points and Reggie Jackson added 10.
The Clippers played without their top reserves, security guard Lou Williams, who is in quarantine after leaving the NBA bubble in central Florida, and striker Montrezl Harrell, who left the facility on July 17 due to a family emergency.
The Clippers wiped out a two-point mid-term deficit with a 12: 3 increase to open the third quarter with a 66: 55 lead. Three consecutive pointers from Davis brought the Lakers to 72-71, with 1:41 remaining.
The Clippers took a 77-76 lead in the fourth quarter.
Both teams showed rust after more than four months of competitive play. The Clippers had 22 sales versus 16 for the Lakers. The Lakers prevailed, although they shot 39 percent from the ground to 43.2 percent for the Clippers.
Utah Jazz 106-104 New Orleans Pelicans
2:46
Highlights of the Utah Jazz game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the HP Field House in Orlando
Rudy Gobert broke a draw by making two free throws 6.9 seconds before the end when Utah Jazz defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 106-104 in the first game of the NBA season’s restart.
The lead paused when Brandon Ingram missed a three-pointer, one second ahead, and closed a fourth quarter in which jazz defeated the pelicans 27:17.
Before the game, all players, coaches and team members, as well as all officials, knelt during the national anthem. The players wore shirts labeled “Black Lives Matter”, which was also printed on the course. Many crossed their arms with those next to them, while some raised their fists in the air.
Jordan Clarkson came from the bank and led Utah with 23 points. Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell added 20 each, Gobert had 14 points and 12 rebounds, Joe Ingles scored 13 and Royce O’Neale had 12.
Ingram led New Orleans with 23 points. JJ Redick scored 21, Jrue Holiday had 20, Zion Williamson 13 and Josh Hart 10. Williamson played 15 minutes when he quarantined after a trip out of the “bubble” due to a family situation.
Rudy Gobert attacks the rim against the New Orleans Pelicans
Jazz remained behind most of the game, but pulled within two points at a Conley lay-up at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
Ingram made a basket and E’Twaun Moore pushed a three-hand to raise the edge of the pelicans to 96-89. Then New Orleans went cold. Clarkson made a three-pointer and assisted with a Gobert lay-up.
After Ingram made a technical free throw, O’Neale and Mitchell made baskets, and Utah had a 98-97 lead four minutes before the end.
After exchanging the baskets, Redick made a three-pointer that linked the score to 1:02 left. Mitchell broke the tie by sinking two free throws, but Ingram replied with two free throws, 32 seconds before Gobert’s win.
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