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Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis, left, shakes hands with LeBron James as James goes to the bench during the first half of an NBA first-round basketball playoff game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday, September 29. August 2020 in Lake Buena Vista. Florida (AP Photo / Ashley Landis)
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida – LeBron James scored 36 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and the Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals, beating the Portland Trail Blazers 131-122 in Game 5 on Saturday night.
Anthony Davis had a playoff-best 43 points for the top-seeded Lakers in his first playoff appearance since 2013.
The Lakers will play the winner of the series between Houston and Oklahoma City. The Rockets took a 3-2 lead with a 114-80 win early Saturday.
CJ McCollum scored 36 points for the surprisingly fighters Trail Blazers, who played without injured All-Star guard Damian Lillard. Carmelo Anthony added 27 points.
14 down in the third quarter, Portland went 100-97 on a layup by McCollum and tied Anfernee Simon’s 3-pointer to cap an 8-point run with 9:46 left. James responded with a 3.
Gary Trent Jr.’s 3-pointer tied it at 109 with just under seven minutes to go. Again, the Lakers held Portland at bay with the Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 3.
After Trent’s 3-pointer closed it at 114-112 with 4:53 remaining, Davis had an 11-0 career run to put Los Angeles up 123-112 and nearly sealed it.
The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday night, but the players collectively chose not to play in the three playoff games scheduled for that day to protest racial injustice following the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Games on Friday were also postponed.
Lillard injured his right knee in Game 4 that led to him leaving the bubble in Florida and returning to Portland to see team doctors. Lillard was named the MVP of the seeded games heading into the playoffs, averaging 37.6 points and 9.6 assists in eight games.
Trent Jr. took his place from Lillard in the starting lineup. But due to injuries, the eighth-seeded Blazers had only nine players available for the game.
Portland’s only win in the first-round series came in Game 1.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: In addition to Lillard, Portland was left without Zach Collins due to left ankle swelling, Nassir Little with dehydration and Wenyen Gabriel with right quadriceps tendonitis.
Lakers: Rajon Rondo practiced on Friday but was inactive during Game 5 while recovering from a broken right thumb and back spasms. … Dion Waiters was a decision at the time of the game with migraine, but he was available.
CLIFFY’S MURNING UNCLE
There was a moment of silence before the game for former Trail Blazer Cliff Robinson. He died on Saturday at the age of 53.
Robinson played 18 seasons in the NBA, his first eight in Portland, and then made the city his home. The Portland players also wore headbands during the game in their honor.
“His personality and energy were unmatched, and his contributions on the court were unmistakable, helping the Trail Blazers reach the playoffs in each of his eight seasons with the team,” the Blazers said in a statement.
The moment of silence also recognized former Arizona coach Lute Olson and actor Chadwick Boseman.
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