James, Lakers advance with 131-122 win over Trail Blazers
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — LeBron James had 36 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and the Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals, beating the short-handed Portland Trail Blazers 131-122 in Game 5 on Saturday night.
Anthony Davis had a playoff-best 43 points for the top-seeded Lakers in their first playoff appearance since 2013. The Lakers will play the winner of the series between Houston and Oklahoma City. The Rockets took a 3-2 lead with a 114-80 victory earlier Saturday. Â
CJ McCollum had 36 points and Carmelo Anthony 27 for the surprisingly scrappy Trail Blazers, They played without injured All-Star guard Damian Lillard.