The Play-In Tournament game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans was a barn-burner, an intense contest that vindicates the NBA’s decision to expand the playoff field earlier this decade.
LeBron James and the Lakers withstood a furious rally to steal the win on the road, 110-106, and clinch the #7 seed in the Western Conference — but perhaps they were fortunate that LeBron was able to continue after a scary sequence in the first half.
James and Zion Williamson, the game’s two headliners, collided at a key moment in the game, and both withstood the contact to put on a show for the fans at Smoothie King Center.
In the first half, James attempted to take a charge on Williamson and induce an offensive foul on the Pelicans power forward. At 6’9” and 250 pounds,
James is a big man and can withstand a lot of contact. But Williamson, at 6’6” and 284 pounds, is bigger — and he sent the King tumbling to the hardwood.
Fortunately for everyone involved and the NBA, both players were okay — although Williamson departed before the final buzzer due to “left leg soreness.” Before his exit, Williamson had arguably been the best player on the court — he scored 40 points, hauled in 11 rebounds, and provided five assists in 36 minutes.
