NBA playoffs roundup: Lakers thrash Grizzlies, wrap up series in Game 6

Lakers 125, Grizzlies 85

D’Angelo Russell scored a playoff-career-best 31 points on 12-of-17 shooting, and the Los Angeles Lakers punched their ticket into the Western Conference semifinals with a 125-85 trouncing of the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Friday in Game 6 of their series.

LeBron James scored 22 points for the Lakers, who won four of the six games of the first-round matchup. Anthony Davis added 16 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocked shots for seventh-seeded Los Angeles, which ambushed the second-seeded Grizzlies in spectacular fashion.

The Lakers, who shot 53.8% from the field, will play either the Sacramento Kings or Golden State Warriors in the conference semis. Those teams play Game 7 of their series on Sunday.

Kings 118, Warriors 99

Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox combined for 54 points, and the Sacramento Kings forced a seventh and decisive game in their Western Conference first-round playoff series against the Golden State Warriors with a front-running, 118-99 victory in San Francisco on Friday.

The third-seeded Kings will get the finale of the best-of-seven at home on Sunday, earning a shot at their first playoff series win in 19 years. In addition, another Sacramento win would eliminate the rival Warriors, the NBA’s defending champions.

The Kings led by as many as 11 points in the second quarter and never looked back, not only keeping the Warriors at arm’s length throughout the final period but also building upon a 10-point advantage with 12 minutes to go.

Shooting with confidence for a team that led the Western Conference in road wins this season, Monk led the way with 28 points, helping the visitors run up a 52-21 advantage in points off the bench. Fellow reserve Trey Lyles also contributed 12 points for the Kings, who had fallen to the brink of elimination with a home loss in Game 5 on Wednesday.

–Field Level Media contributed to this story