Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is targeting a fifth NBA title The Los Angeles Lakers upset second seeds the Memphis Grizzlies with a 128-112 win in their Western Conference playoffs first-round opener. Rui Hachimura scored 29 points off the bench for the visiting Lakers, who are seeded seventh. Team-mate Austin Reaves hit 23 points, while Lakers stars Anthony Davis and LeBron James combined for 43 points. Grizzlies guard Ja Morant left the game with just under six minutes left in the final quarter with a hand injury. All-Star Morant appeared to fall heavily on his right hand after colliding with Davis in mid-air while attempting a dunk. Despite Morant's absence, the hosts went on an 11-5 run to cut the deficit down to one point. But the Lakers responded with a 15-0 run to finish the game and assume home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series. Hachimura made 11 of his 14 shots, including five of six from three-point range, to spark the Lakers, who reached the play-offs af...
The Sacramento Kings are for real. In the playoffs for the first time in 17 years, the host Kings won an absolute thriller of a Game 1, holding off the Golden State Warriors, 126-123, in what looks like it's going to be a wild series. De'Aaron Fox, who is basically a lock to win the first annual Clutch Player of the Year, was fantastic in the fourth quarter again, finishing with 38 points, while Malik Monk put up 34. Those two were just too fast for the Warriors in what was a relentless attack on the paint and rim by Sacramento. Once Sacramento's 3s started falling in the fourth, it was just too much for Golden State to try to defend everything. You might say Sacramento can't play this good again, but I would warn you, if you've haven't watched this team much, this was not some fluke performance. This is one of the best offenses in history. Fox has been absolutely dominant all season. He has a legitimate case for first-team All-NBA. Domantas Sabonis, a pote...