LOS ANGELES — First it was the Lakers. Then it was a returning Ja Morant. And in between, it was a defensive-first playoff game, one Lakers fans have been waiting nearly a decade to witness.
With a full crowd watching a playoff game for the first time since 2013, the Lakers delivered a massive blow early and then held off one of the NBA’s biggest young stars in a 111-101 win Saturday at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers lead the series 2-1.