More than an hour later, the Lakers having ripped the New Orleans Pelicans to shreds, James walked to the same spot on the floor. The Lakers advanced to the NBA in-season tournament final in dominant fashion, blowing out the Pelicans 133-89. The Lakers will play for the first NBA Cup Saturday against Indiana, who beat the Milwaukee Bucks 128-119 earlier on Thursday. They outscored New Orleans 81-41 over the next two quarters, the Lakers dominating every inch of the court with James orchestrating. After 21 years, James is a game away from winning the league’s first in-season tournament.

Source: Los Angeles Times December 08, 2023 11:20 UTC