Wahala no dey finish for NBA, but for Crypto.com Arena on Friday night, the Los Lakers show say dem still get power. Dem hammer Phoenix Suns 101-73, and the win no be small tin. E secure home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. Na big win for the Lakers wey dey manage plenty injury wahala.
LeBron James, the ageless wonder wey dey 41 years old, carry the team for back. The man score 28 points, drop 12 assists, grab 6 rebounds, and even thief ball 4 times. Na im be the main engine wey make the motor move. And as if that one no enough, LeBron reach one historic milestone for the first quarter. When he pass the ball give Deandre Ayton for layup, that assist become the 12,000th of im career. Na only four players for NBA history don reach that mark: John Stockton, Chris Paul, Jason Kidd, and now, LeBron James. The man just dey break record anyhow.
The game start well well for Lakers. From the beginning, LeBron dey hot. He score or assist for nine of the team first ten field goals. Before you say Jack Robinson, Lakers don lead by 16 points. Suns try to fight back small, but the Lakers defense hold dem strong. For the second half, the matter just finish. Lakers outscore Suns 44-25 and dem no look back.
Luke Kennard add 19 points and 3 assists for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura put 13 points for body. Deandre Ayton finish with 10 points and 5 rebounds. But one of the biggest stories na the return of Marcus Smart. The guard don miss nine straight games because of right ankle contusion. He return on Friday with minutes restriction, but he contribute 6 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. Coach JJ Redick bin talk say dem need Smart back badly, especially with the team missing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves to injury. Smart presence for defense and ball handling na game changer.
For Suns side, na different story. Dem no get Devin Booker wey dey rest im injured right ankle for postseason. Jalen Green also no play because of right knee soreness. Dillon Brooks lead Suns with 12 points. Royce O'Neale add 11. But overall, Suns offense just no dey work. Dem score only 73 points, na their lowest for the whole season. Dem grab 18 offensive rebounds, but dem no fit convert am well. Grayson Allen and Collin Gillespie even no play for second half.
The win push Lakers record to 52-29. With one game remain, dem no fit finish worse than number 4 for Western Conference. The Houston Rockets loss to Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday lock dem as the 5th seed. Now, Lakers dey eye the number 3 seed. If Denver Nuggets lose to Spurs on Sunday and Lakers beat Utah Jazz, Lakers go climb to third. If Nuggets win, Lakers go stay fourth. Either way, Lakers go host either the number 6 Timberwolves or number 5 Rockets for first round. Na better position to dey.
Coach JJ Redick talk before the game say the team no dey too worry about seeding after the injuries to Doncic and Reaves. But this win show say the team spirit still dey high. LeBron James, at 41, dey play like man wey just enter league. He bin talk for Dallas last weekend say he “still fit do this s–t.” For Friday, he prove am. He score 22 points for first half alone, tie im season high for half. He play 32 minutes total, show no sign of tiredness for back-to-back games.
The Lakers injury list still long. Jaxson Hayes miss im third straight game with left foot injury management. But the return of Smart and the availability of LeBron and Kennard na positive sign. Kennard bin dey listed as questionable with left finger injury but he play. The team waive Kobe Bufkin to open playoff roster spot, meaning dem fit still add one player before postseason start.
For Suns, the loss no change their position much. Dem already lock as 7th seed for West and go dey top of the play-in tournament. Dem go face Oklahoma City Thunder for their last regular season game on Sunday. Dem go hope say Devin Booker fit return fully healthy for the playoffs.
As for Lakers, dem go host Utah Jazz on Sunday for the final game of the regular season. The match go determine if dem go finish third or fourth. But after Friday win, the confidence don return. With LeBron breaking records, Smart back on court, and home-court advantage secured, Lakers fans get reason to smile small. The playoffs dey come, and the Lakers, despite all their problems, don show say dem no be pushover.
Do you have a news tip for NNN? Please email us at editor @ nnn.ng
