Lakers obliterate Grizzlies 125-85, advance to 2nd round

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LeBron James made sure the Lakers had the appropriate urgency for a closeout playoff game. Their raucous fans constantly urged them to end an infuriating decade without a postseason celebration on the Lakers' home court.

When that much passion coincided with a spectacular defensive performance by Anthony Davis, the Memphis Grizzlies didn't stand a chance.

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, left, and Anthony Davis react to a 3-point basket against the Memphis Grizzlies by a teammate during the second half in Game 6 of first-round NBA basketball playoff series Friday, April 28, 2023, in Los Angeles. The Lakers won 125-85.  (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Davis had 16 points and 14 rebounds while blocking five shots and dominating the paint, D’Angelo Russell scored a career playoff-high 31 points and Los Angeles completed its first-round upset of the Grizzlies with a 125-85 victory in Game 6 on Friday night.

James scored 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting for the seventh-seeded Lakers, who emphatically clinched a playoff series in their own arena for the first time since 2012.

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"It was definitely a Game 7 mentality for us," James said. "We understood that we had an opportunity to play in front of our fans, and we wanted to try to end it tonight. We came out with a discipline. From the start of the game, we were just locked in on our game plan all the way until the final seconds."

The Lakers won all three of their home games in the series, and the final victory was a scary demonstration of their capabilities when James and Davis are both healthy alongside their full supporting