LeBron scores 30, and the Lakers avoid 1st-round elimination with a 119-108 win over champion Denver
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers avoided playoff elimination with a 119-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of their first-round series. LeBron James scored 30 points and Anthony Davis added 25 points and 23 rebounds. The seventh-seeded Lakers snapped their 11-game losing streak against the defending NBA champions with their first win over the Nuggets since December 2022. Nikola Jokic had 33 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists in the two-time MVP’s 18th career triple-double and second in this series. Denver swept Los Angeles out of the Western Conference finals last season, but the current Lakers responded better to this 0-3 deficit.
Celtics lead wire-to-wire in Miami, roll past Heat 104-84 for 2-1 lead in East series
MIAMI (AP) — Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 22 points, and the Boston Celtics soundly beat the Miami Heat 104-84 to take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Saturday night. Tatum added 10 rebounds and six assists for the Celtics, who led Game 3 wire-to-wire and reclaimed the home-court edge that they lost when Miami won Game 2 in Boston. Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 and Derrick White scored 16 for the Celtics. Bam Adebayo scored 20 points for eighth-seeded Miami, which remains without starters Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier because of injuries.
