LOS ANGELES – LeBron James had 30 points and 10 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves 108-102 in the NBA’s play-in tournament on Tuesday night to clinch the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Dennis Schroder scored 21 points and made two free throws with 8.4 seconds left for the Lakers, who will play second-seeded Memphis in the first round starting Sunday.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 24 points and Mike Conley hit three free throws with 0.1 seconds left to tie the game for the Wolves, who will host either New Orleans or Oklahoma City on Friday for eighth place and a first-round date with top-seeded . Ranked Denver starts Sunday. The Pelicans host the Thunder on Wednesday night.
Anthony Davis had 24 points, 15 rebounds and an ill-advised foul on Conley, who scored 23 points.
Los Angeles survived a back-and-forth meeting with Minnesota, giving an inspired effort while playing without starters Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels.
Gobert has been suspended for punching teammate Kyle Anderson during Minnesota’s regular-season finale against New Orleans, while McDaniel is out indefinitely with a broken hand after punching a wall in frustration on Sunday. is
Los Angeles eventually won it with defense, holding the Wolves to seven points from midway through the final 11 minutes of the fourth quarter, while the Lakers rallied from a 15-point deficit in the second half.
Schroder drilled a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds to play in regulation, but the Wolves forced overtime when Conley stepped on Davis’ foot after he had already launched a 3-point attempt. Hit three free throws with 0.1 seconds left.
D’Angelo Russell played a nightmare for Los Angeles against the team that traded him in February, scoring two points on 1-of-9 shooting with eight assists. He was pulled over by Schroeder, who passed too much.
