April 25, (THEWILL) – The Los Angeles Lakers won an overtime victory against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, leaving the Grizzlies at risk of elimination.
Despite the Grizzlies’ impressive lead of seven points in the fourth quarter, Lakers’ LeBron James scored two crucial baskets, leading the team to a 117-111 victory. James, a four-time NBA champion, was not fazed by Dillon Brooks’ taunts, and he finished the game with 22 points and a playoff-career-high 20 rebounds.
The Lakers now lead the series 3-1 and could win the game in Memphis on Wednesday. Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 36 points, but his two missed shots in overtime contributed to the team’s loss. Ja Morant, who scored 45 points in Game 3, struggled with an injured right hand and only managed to score 19 points on 8-of-24 shooting.
Earlier, Dillon Brooks had called James “old,” “tired,” and not as good as he used to be, but James proved his doubters wrong by scoring the two most crucial baskets of the game. With the Lakers now holding a 3-1 lead in the playoffs series, they have a chance to seal their victory on Wednesday during Game 5 in Memphis.
Both Morant and Brooks refused to talk to reporters post-match, which is against NBA protocol. James, on the other hand, made history by becoming the oldest player in NBA history to record a 20-point, 20-rebound game in both the regular season and the postseason.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
