Lakers secure a playoff berth with win over the Pelicans

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) shoots against New Orleans Pelicans forward Herbert Jones (5) in the second half of an NBA basketball play-in tournament game Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in New Orleans. The Lakers won 110-106. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

LOS ANGELES – The Lakers earned a berth in the NBA playoffs with a 110-106 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans in a Play-in Tournament game Tuesday night in New Orleans after squandering an 18-point third-quarter lead.

The Lakers never trailed after midway through the second quarter, but the Pelicans rallied to tie the score, 93-93, with three minutes, 53 seconds to play as Zion Williamson completed a 13-2 run with a fast-break dunk. Williamson scored seven of his 40 points during the run while Trey Murphy III and Jose Alvarado both made 3-point baskets.

The score would be tied 95-95, 97-97 and 99-99 before the Lakers took the lead for good on Anthony Davis’ alley-oop dunk off Austin Reeves’ assist with 1:23 left.

New Orleans cut the deficit to 101-100 with 1:08 remaining when Larry Nance Jr. made one of two free throws.

A 3-point basket by D’Angelo Russell gave the Lakers a 104-100 lead with 51.3 seconds to play.

The Lakers sealed with victory when Davis made four of four free throws and Reeves two of two over the final 14.8 seconds.

The Lakers made 26 of 29 free throws, 89.7%, while the Pelicans made 11 of 15, 73.3 percent.

LeBron James scored 23 points, Russell 21 and Davis 20 as all five Laker starters finished in double figures.

Russell had the game’s best plus/minus, as the Lakers outscored New Orleans by 16 points in the 36:32 he was on the court.

Five other Pelicans finished in double figures, topped by Murphy’s 12 in 30:41 off the bench before a capacity crowd announced at 18,591 at Smoothie King Center.

The victory gives the Lakers the seventh seed in the Western Conference and a first-round playoff matchup against the defending champion Denver Nuggets beginning Saturday night in Denver.

Denver swept the Lakers in last season’s Western Conference finals en route to its first NBA title.

The Lakers were 0-3 against Nuggets in the 2023-24 regular season.

The Lakers led 60-50 at halftime Tuesday, then went on a 10-2 run to increase their lead to 73-55 with 6:55 left in the third quarter.

New Orleans scored seven unanswered points to cut the deficit to 75-64 with 4:47 to play in the quarter, then scored the quarter’s final six points on three free throws by Williamson and Murphy’s 3-point basket to trail 83-76 entering the fourth quarter.

The Pelicans will get a second and final chance at a playoff berth Friday when they play host to the Sacramento Kings, a 118-94 winner over the Golden State Warriors, in a Play-in Tournament game later Tuesday in Sacramento. (CNS)