LeBron James (23) and the Los Angeles Lakers now lead the Portland Trail Blazers 3-1 in their first-round Western Conference playoff series after a 20-point win Monday in Orlando, Fla. Photo by John G. Mabanglo/EPA-EFE
Aug. 25 (UPI) -- LeBron James scored a game-high 30 points and the Los Angeles Lakers led by as many as 38 points in a Game 4 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of their Western Conference playoff series.
James also had 10 assists and six rebounds in the 135-115 victory Monday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. The Lakers now own a 3-1 series lead and can advance into the second round with a win Wednesday at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma chipped in 18 points apiece in the victory. The Lakers held Blazers star Damian Lillard to 11 points.
James and the Lakers wore special "Black Mamba" edition jerseys with a patch for Gianna Bryant to memorialize the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter. Incidentally, Los Angeles led 24-8 at one point in the first quarter, the jersey numbers Bryant wore during his career with the Lakers. Monday, which also was dated 8-24, is celebrated as Mamba Day by the franchise.
"The stars aligned," James told reporters. "When I looked and saw 24-8 I said 'OK, he's in the building."
The Lakers began the game on a 15-0 run and pushed their first quarter lead to as many as 24 points in the frame. Davis paced the Lakers to the early edge with 16 points in the first 12 minutes.
James poured in 14 points in the second quarter and helped the Lakers to an 80-51 advantage at halftime. The Lakers pushed their lead to 91-54 with an 11-0 run to start the third quarter. They had a 112-87 lead entering the fourth quarter.
James and Davis both sat out in the fourth quarter and the Lakers bench held onto the large lead to secure the victory.
Danny Green scored 14 points for the Lakers. Dwight Howard had 13 points and eight rebounds off the Lakers bench. Jusuf Nurkic led the Blazers with 20 points and 13 rebounds and C.J. McCollum chipped in 18 points in the loss.
Lillard left the game in the third quarter after he hurt his right knee. He was already playing with a dislocated left index finger, which he injured in Game 2. McCollum has played with a fractured vertebra in his lower back.
"We know what we are up against when we are down 3-1 to a good team," Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. "We have to battle."
The Lakers will play the Blazers in Game 5 at 9 p.m. EDT Wednesday.
St. Vincent-St. Mary High School senior LeBron James (L) drives around a Zanesvuille defender in Akron, Ohio, on February 14, 2003. James is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. A couple months later, the Cleveland Cavaliers coach
was suspended because James worked out with the team before he graduated from high school. Photo by Tom Cammett/UPI |
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