LEBRON James scored 25 points as the visiting Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 110-98 in the regular-season finale for both teams Sunday (Monday in Manila).
James left the game midway through the fourth quarter, slightly favoring the injured right ankle that sidelined him 26 games down the stretch.
Anthony Davis scored 14 points, Andre Drummond had 13 points and 13 rebounds, Dennis Schroeder had 12 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 10 as the Lakers (42-30) won their fifth consecutive game.
But the victory wasn’t enough for the defending NBA champions to avoid the Western Conference play-in tournament. Portland defeated Denver to claim the sixth seed so the seventh-seeded Lakers will host eighth-seeded Golden State in a play-in game Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
Willy Hernangomez had 19 points and 12 rebounds, Naji Marshall scored 18, Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 14, Eric Bledsoe had 13, Kira Lewis Jr. 12 and Jaxson Hayes 10 to lead the injury-plagued Pelicans (31-41). New Orleans played its last three games without injured starters Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Steven Adams.
In other games, it was the Warriors 113, Grizzlies 101; Jazz 121, Kings 99; Wolves 136, Mavs 121; Heat 120, Pistons 107; Sixers 128, Magic; Nets 123, Cavs 109; Knicks 96, Celtics 92; Pacers 125, Raptors 113; Wizards 115, Hornets 110; Suns 123, Spurs 121; Hawks 124, Rockets 95; Bulls 118, Bucks 112; Thunder 117, Clippers 112; and Blazers 132, Nuggets 116.
Warriors 113, Grizzlies 101
Stephen Curry scored a game-high 46 points en route to his second NBA scoring title and Jordan Poole stalled a rally with a late 3-pointer as the Golden State Warriors held off the visiting Memphis Grizzlies in San Francisco for a win to claim the No. 8 position in this week’s play-in tournament.
With Curry scoring 17 of his 46 points, the Warriors appeared to take command of the game in the third quarter, but Dillon Brooks led a Memphis comeback. Before fouling out, Brooks contributed 13 points to a 22-5 flurry that made it 91 all with 6:32 still to play.
The Grizzlies went up by two twice after that, before Poole nailed his momentum-changing 3-pointer.
The loss ended Memphis’ five-game winning streak and landed the Grizzlies in the No. 9 spot in the play-in, where they will host 10th-seeded San Antonio on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
