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New Orleans Pelicans

Lakers Cruise to “In-Season” Cup Final

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LAS VEGAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – LeBron James recorded 30 points and eight assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 133-89 semifinal victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday night in Las Vegas to reach the championship game of the NBA’s in-season tournament.

The Lakers will face the Indiana Pacers in Saturday’s title game. The Pacers defeated theMilwaukee Bucks 128-119 in Thursday’s other semifinal.

Austin Reaves had 17 points and seven assists, and Anthony Davis added 16 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers, who won for the 11th time in their past 15 games.

James made all four of his attempts from beyond the arc while finishing 9 of 12 overall. He played just 23 minutes and sat out the final quarter.

Trey Murphy III scored 14 points and Zion Williamson added 13 for the Pelicans. Herbert Jones added 10 points and seven rebounds as New Orleans lost for the fourth time in its past seven games.

Brandon Ingram had just nine points on 4-of-13 shooting for the Pelicans. New Orleans hit 35.8 percent of its shots and was 7-of-31 from behind the arc.

Taurean Prince scored 15 points, D’Angelo Russell had 14 and Rui Hachimura added 12 for the Lakers, who made 54.7 percent of their shots and 17 of 35 from 3-point range.

James scored 21 points in the first half as Los Angeles led 67-54 at the break.

James scored only three points in the first quarter before scoring 18 in the second.

Ingram, Pelicans Knock-Out Kings

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SACRAMENTO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Pelicans’ forward Brandon Ingram recorded 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists and New Orleans advanced to the semifinals of the NBA’s in-season tournament with a 127-117 knockout-round victory over the host Sacramento Kings on Monday night.

Herbert Jones scored 23 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 18 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out for the third-seeded Pelicans. CJ McCollum had 17 points and Trey Murphy III added 16 points off the bench for New Orleans, which beat Sacramento for the third time this season.

The Pelicans will face either the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers or fourth-seeded Phoenix Suns in Thursday’s semifinals in Las Vegas. The Lakers and Suns play their quarterfinal matchup on Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

De’Aaron Fox scored 30 points and Domantas Sabonis recorded 26 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for the second-seeded Kings.

Malik Monk tallied 21 points off the bench, Keegan Murray scored 14 points and Kevin Huerter added 12 for Sacramento.

The Kings went 4-0 while winning West Group C before succumbing to the Pelicans. New Orleans won West Group B with a 3-1 mark.

The Pelicans shot 54 percent from the field and made 14 of 31 (45.2 percent) from 3-point range. Zion Williamson had 10 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals for New Orleans.

Sacramento made 44.7 percent of its shots, including 14 of 41 (34.1 percent) from behind the arc.

Valanciunas scored in the interior, Murphy buried a 3-pointer and Ingram and Jones each made two free throws during a 9-0 burst as New Orleans took a 120-105 lead with 3:33 left in the game.

The Kings were unable to get closer than nine in the final minutes.

New Orleans opened the third quarter with a 10-3 run to take a 79-64 on Jones’ 3-pointer with 10:03 left.

The advantage was still 15 after McCollum’s floater with 7:21 remaining before Sacramento scored nine of the next 11 points to move within 89-81 on Sabonis’ basket with 4:56 remaining.

Sacramento later scored eight straight points to cut its deficit to 95-91 with 1:25 left. The Pelicans scored the next five to take a 100-91 lead into the final stanza.

Ingram and Murphy had 13 points apiece as the Pelicans led 69-61 at the break. Sabonis topped Sacramento with 16 first-half points.

–Field Level Media