NBA playoffs roundup: Lakers squander lead, still top Warriors in Game 1

Lakers 117, Warriors 112

D’Angelo Russell stalled a Golden State Warriors rally by sinking a tiebreaking hoop with 1:24 remaining, Anthony Davis put up 30 points and 23 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers took Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals from the defending champs 117-112 in San Francisco on Tuesday.

The best-of-seven series continues Thursday in San Francisco.

Russell’s interior hoop came after the Warriors scored 14 straight points to rally into a tie after being down 112-98 with 5:58 to go. Stephen Curry triggered the run with a three-point play and later added 2- and 3-point hoops, the latter drawing Golden State even at 112-all.

After Russell’s basket, the Lakers scored only on free throws, with LeBron James making it a three-point game by going 1-for-2 with 1:05 to go and Dennis Schroder clinching the win by making a pair with 2.1 seconds left.

The Warriors, meanwhile, missed their final four shots, including a Curry interior attempt that was blocked by Davis and a potential game-tying 3-point attempt by Jordan Poole with 9.1 seconds left.

Davis’ game-high point total came on 11-for-19 shooting and 8-for-8 from the free throw, where the Lakers outscored the Warriors 25-5, getting 29 attempts to the hosts’ six.

Davis also found time for five assists and four blocks.

James also recorded a double-double for the seventh-seeded Lakers, accumulating 22 points and 11 assists, while Russell and Schroder finished with 19 points apiece. Austin Reaves contributed 10 points.

Russell also had a team-high six assists. He went 1-for-5 from 3-point range, part of the team’s 6-for-25 (24%) showing from long distance.

Coming off a 50-point explosion Sunday in a Game 7 win at Sacramento, Curry managed 27 points on 10-for-24 shooting, 6-for-13 from beyond the arc.

Klay Thompson matched his teammate’s six threes en route to 25 points, while Poole also had six threes in a 21-point performance.

Golden State went 21-for-53 (39.6%) from beyond the arc.

Kevon Looney matched Davis’ 23 rebounds to complement 10 points for the sixth-seeded Warriors. Andrew Wiggins chipped in with 15 points, and Draymond Green had a game-high seven assists to go with six points.

Knicks 111, Heat 105

Jalen Brunson scored 30 points to fuel the host New York Knicks to a 111-105 victory over the Miami Heat on Tuesday, leveling their Eastern Conference semifinal series at one win apiece.

Brunson made 10-of-19 shots from the floor — including 6-of-10 from 3-point range — for the fifth-seeded Knicks. Game 3 in the best-of-seven series is Saturday in Miami.

New York’s Julius Randle collected 25 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in his return after sitting out the series opener due to a sprained left ankle. RJ Barrett sank five 3-pointers to highlight his 24-point performance. Josh Hart added 14 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists.

Miami leading scorer Jimmy Butler sat out Game 2 after sustaining a sprained right ankle during the fourth quarter of the series opener on Sunday afternoon.

Caleb Martin recorded 22 points and eight rebounds, and Gabe Vincent added 21 points for the eighth-seeded Heat. Max Strus finished with 17 points, and Bam Adebayo collected 15 points, eight rebounds, and six assists.

Miami built a 93-87 lead before New York scored 14 of the next 17 points to claim a five-point advantage with 2:48 remaining in the fourth quarter. During that sequence, Brunson sank two 3-pointers and a pair of jumpers before Kyle Lowry and Adebayo each made a basket to trim the Knicks’ lead to 101-100 with 1:58 to play.

Hart halted that momentum by draining a 3-pointer, and New York added four free throws to extend its lead to 108-100 with 31.5 seconds left. Vincent made a driving layup, and Duncan Robinson drained a 3-pointer to bring Miami within three points before Hart sank three of four free throws to seal the win.

Vincent sank a pair of 3-pointers and added a driving layup to give Miami a 90-85 lead with 7:45 remaining in the fourth quarter. Isaiah Hartenstein countered with a short jumper, but Martin answered by draining an uncontested 3-pointer.

Martin sank a 3-pointer to extend Miami’s lead to 46-38 with 3:43 remaining in the second quarter. Randle answered by scoring the next eight points for his team to highlight a 13-5 run before Kevin Love sank a 3-pointer to give the Heat a 54-51 advantage entering halftime.

–Field Level Media contributed to this story