NBA playoffs roundup: LeBron James’ 22-20 night leads Lakers over Grizzlies in OT

Lakers 117, Grizzlies 111

LeBron James scored 22 points, including a layup to force overtime and another late in the extra period, as the Los Angeles Lakers earned a 117-111 victory over the visiting Memphis Grizzlies on Monday to build a commanding 3-1 lead in a first-round Western Conference playoff series.

James added a career-high 20 rebounds while Austin Reaves scored 23 points for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who have their first chance to eliminate the Grizzlies in Game 5 on Wednesday at Memphis.

The last Laker to put up 20-plus points and 20-plus rebounds in a playoff game was Shaquille O’Neal in 2004.

D’Angelo Russell scored 17 points for the Lakers, sinking three key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter before fouling out. Anthony Davis was held to 12 points for Los Angeles while dealing with hip discomfort after a second-quarter injury. However, he scored five points in overtime and wound up with 11 rebounds.

James made a layup with 0.8 seconds remaining in regulation and sealed the victory on another layup with 29.4 seconds left in overtime when he was fouled by Dillon Brooks. He missed the ensuing free throw but gave Los Angeles a 113-108 advantage.

Heat 119, Bucks 114

Jimmy Butler set a franchise playoff record with 56 points, and the Miami Heat recovered from a 15-point deficit to notch a 119-114 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night to take a 3-1 lead in a first-round Eastern Conference series.

Butler was 19-of-28 shooting for the eighth-seeded Heat, who seized control of the series. Butler broke the previous scoring mark set by LeBron James, who posted 49 points in a playoff game against the Brooklyn Nets on May 12, 2014. Butler also set a personal career high, regular season and postseason.

Butler’s 56 points ties for the fourth most in an NBA playoff game. He trails Michael Jordan (63 for the Chicago Bulls in 1986), Elgin Baylor (61, Los Angeles Lakers, 1962), and Donovan Mitchell (57, Utah Jazz, 2020). Also scoring 56 were Wilt Chamberlain (Philadelphia Warriors, 1962), Jordan (Bulls, 1992), and Charles Barkley (Phoenix Suns, 1994).

Brook Lopez had 36 points and 11 rebounds for the top-seeded Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from a two-game absence due to a back injury to produce 26 points, 13 assists, and 10 rebounds.

The Heat will have a chance to clinch the series in Game 5 on Wednesday night at Milwaukee.

–Field Level Media contributed to this story