LeBron, Lakers topple Curry-less Warriors to snap three-game slide

SAN FRANCISCO, April 11 ------ LeBron James had 26 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds but didn't get to compete against rival and pal Stephen Curry as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors, 119-103.

James shot 11 for 17 and made three 3-pointers. He exited briefly after appearing to jam his hand blocking a shot by Pat Spencer with 6:05 remaining in the third quarter. After 23 years in the league and at age 41, James' future is uncertain. He is three years older than Curry, who sat out the front end of a home-road back-to-back in what is always a highly anticipated matchup — it was Golden State's final scheduled game at Chase Center, given the team is headed on the road for the play-in tournament as the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference.

Curry had played the previous two contests in his return from a 27-game absence spanning two-plus months because of a right knee injury. The Warriors weren't ready to risk him playing consecutive nights. Brandin Podziemski and Nate Williams scored 17 points apiece as Golden State used its 41st starting lineup of the season and was down to 10 healthy players. Newly signed center Charles Bassey had 12 points and 13 rebounds for his second straight double-double, while Spencer had 12 points, six assists and four rebounds.

Coach Steve Kerr hoped to get some reinforcements Friday at Sacramento, with big men Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis expected to play.

Deandre Ayton added 21 points and five rebounds and Jake LaRavia contributed 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists for the Lakers, who snapped a three-game losing streak with their fourth straight win on the Warriors' home floor. Golden State's LJ Cryer limped off with 8:16 left in the game after grabbing his right ankle. Meanwhile, Josh Hart scored 15 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, Jalen Brunson had 25 points and 10 assists, and the New York Knicks stayed alive in the race for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 112-106 victory over Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics.

Tatum finished with 24 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in his first game back on the Madison Square Garden court where he ruptured his Achilles tendon in last season's playoffs. The Knicks (52-28) pulled within two games of the Celtics (54-26) for second place with two games to play for both teams. New York owns the tiebreaker after winning the season series 3-1 and would take the No. 2 seed with two wins and two Boston losses. Hart made two 3-pointers in the final 42 seconds to give New York more wins this season under Mike Brown than in its 51-31 finish last season in Tom Thibodeau's final season.

The Knicks then knocked off the Celtics in the second round of those playoffs, helped by Tatum's season-ending injury in Game 4 of the series. He acknowledged some nervousness and anxiousness Thursday before playing again in the arena before finishing just shy of his second triple-double since returning to play last month. The Celtics had their four-game winning streak snapped while playing without leading scorer Jaylen Brown, averaging 28.8 points, because of left Achilles tendinitis. Payton Pritchard added 23 points and Baylor Scheierman had 20, going 6 for 7 from 3-point range. The Knicks host Toronto on Friday in a possible playoff preview and close against Charlotte on Sunday. Boston hosts New Orleans on Friday and Orlando on Sunday.

Source: mb.com.ph