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From Helene Elliott: The Lakers’ first attempt this season to close out a playoff series on their first try didn’t go so well.
With a chance to wrap up their opening-round series against the Grizzlies in a tidy five games, they went to Memphis and lost by 17, costing themselves a few precious days of rest. “We didn’t play up to our abilities,” LeBron James said.
They apparently learned from that experience, because they came home to Crypto.com Arena and demolished the No. 2-seeded Grizzlies by 40 points two days later to complete a six-game upset that really wasn’t so surprising.
Having earned another chance to close out a series by gritting out a 104-101 victory over defending champion Golden State on Monday, the Lakers must seize the moment and deliver a knockout punch when the series resumes on Wednesday for Game 5 at Chase Center in San Francisco.
It will be their toughest challenge in a season full of tests. The Lakers can’t count on the Warriors imploding under pressure, like the Grizzlies did. They can’t expect the Warriors, who won NBA titles in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022 and lost in the finals in 2016 and 2019, to find the moment too big for them to handle, as the Grizzlies so clearly did.
“It’s going to be a tough one going up north. That game on Wednesday is going to be another dogfight,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “We can expect another dogfight. That’s a prideful team. They’re the defending champions for a reason, so all of us are going to have to make sure we’re on the same page and locked in.”
How to oust defending champions? Lakers must outdefend Warriors
Plaschke: Lonnie Walker IV goes from forgotten to hero in Game 4 win
‘Learning on the fly’: How Austin Reaves shook slump in Lakers’ Game 4 win
Photos: Lakers surge late to defeat Warriors in Game 4
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NBA PLAYOFFS
Results, schedule
All times Pacific
Conference semifinals
Western Conference
No. 6 Golden State vs. No. 7 Lakers
Game 1: Lakers 117, at Golden State 112
Game 2: at Golden State 127, Lakers 100
Game 3: at Lakers 127, Golden State 97
Game 4: at Lakers 104, Golden State 101
Tonight at Golden State, 7 p.m., TNT
*Friday at Lakers, TBD, ESPN
*Sunday at Golden State, TBD
No. 1 Denver vs. No. 4 Phoenix
Game 1: at Denver 125, Phoenix 107
Game 2: at Denver 97, Phoenix 87
Game 3: at Phoenix 121, Denver 114
Game 4: at Phoenix 129, Denver 124
Game 5: at Denver 118, Phoenix 102
Thursday at Phoenix, 7 p.m., ESPN
*Sunday at Denver, TBD
Eastern Conference
No. 2 Boston vs. No. 3 Philadelphia
Game 1: Philadelphia 119, at Boston 115
Game 2: at Boston 121, Philadelphia 87
Game 3: Boston 114, at Philadelphia 102
Game 4: at Philadelphia 116, Boston 115 (OT)
Game 5: Philadelphia 115, at Boston 103
Thursday at Philadelphia, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
*Sunday at Boston, TBD
No. 5 New York vs. No. 8 Miami
Game 1: Miami 108, at New York 101
Game 2: at New York 111, Miami 105
Game 3: at Miami 105, New York 86
Game 4: at Miami 109, New York 101
Today at New York, 4:30 p.m., TNT
*Friday at Miami, TBD, ESPN
*Monday at New York, 5 p.m., TNT
*-if necessary
NHL PLAYOFFS
Results, schedule
All times Pacific
Second round
Western Conference
Vegas [P1] vs. Edmonton [P2]
Game 1: at Vegas 6, Edmonton 4
Game 2: Edmonton 5, at Vegas 1
Game 3: Vegas 5, at Edmonton 1
Tonight at Edmonton, 7 p.m., ESPN
Friday at Vegas, TBD, TNT
*Sunday at Edmonton, TBD, TBD
*Tuesday, May 16 at Vegas, TBD, TBD
Dallas [C2] vs. Seattle [WC1]
Game 1: Seattle 5, at Dallas 4 (OT)
Game 2: at Dallas 4, Seattle 2
Game 3: at Seattle 7, Dallas 2
Game 4: Dallas 6, at Seattle 3
Thursday at Dallas, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Saturday at Seattle, TBD, ESPN
*Monday at Dallas, TBD, ESPN
Eastern Conference
Carolina [M1] vs. New Jersey [M2]
Game 1: at Carolina 5, New Jersey 1
Game 2: at Carolina 6, New Jersey 1
Game 3: at New Jersey 8, Carolina 4
Game 4: Carolina 6, at New Jersey 1
Thursday at Carolina, 4 p.m., TNT
*Saturday at New Jersey, TBD, ESPN
*Monday at Carolina, TBD, ESPN
Toronto [A2] vs. Florida [WC2]
Game 1: Florida 4, at Toronto 2
Game 2: Florida 3, at Toronto 2
Game 3: at Florida 3, Toronto 2 (OT)
Today at Florida, 4 p.m., ESPN
*Friday at Toronto, TBD, TNT
*Sunday at Florida, TBD, TBD
*Tuesday at Toronto, TBD, TNT
*-if necessary
DODGERS
From Mike DiGiovanna: What the Dodgers called a “cut” on the index finger of Noah Syndergaard’s pitching hand looked more like a divot, so large was the chunk of flesh missing from the fingertip of the Dodgers right-hander on Tuesday night.
Unable to stem the bleeding from the wound, Syndergaard was forced out of what he hoped would be a pivotal start against the Milwaukee Brewers after one inning, leaving the bulk of the game to a bullpen that has been better of late but still not as deep as the Dodgers would like.
Seven relievers were up to the task, Phil Bickford, Justin Bruihl, Yency Almonte, Victor Gonzalez, Shelby Miller, Brusdar Graterol and Evan Phillips combing to limit the Brewers to two runs and four hits in eight innings of a 6-2 Dodgers victory in American Family Field.
“When we were informed that something’s gone wrong with the starter, I think everyone kind of takes ownership of the situation, that it’s our responsibility to cover tonight,” said Phillips, who got the final out for his sixth save. “Everybody knows it’s gonna be a difficult day, but guy after guy came in and picked up the slack.”
ANGELS
From Sarah Valenzuela: It took less than two innings and just 26 pitches for Shohei Ohtani to surpass yet another career achievement by Babe Ruth.
In the Angels’ 3-1 loss to the Houston Astros Tuesday at Angel Stadium, Ohtani struck out his career-502nd batter, beating the Hall of Famers’ career total. The historic mark for Ohtani came on the strikeouts of Mauricio Dubon in the first inning and Jeremy Peña in the second. Ohtani has the most pitching strikeouts among players to hit at least 100 career home runs. The two-way star has 134 career home runs so far.
LAFC
From Kevin Baxter: Madison Hammond didn’t set out to be a trailblazer. Yet when she found herself on that path, she didn’t turn back.
“I just try to do me as best as I can,” the Angel City midfielder said. “But I have become, for lack of a better term, an inspiration to a lot of kids.”
Though she says that humbly, there’s certainly a lot about Hammond that qualifies as inspiring. She was a four-year starter at Wake Forest, where she also played the violin in the school orchestra, made the Atlantic Coast Conference’s all-academic team four times and was a member of the National Honor Society as well as separate honor societies in Spanish, science and history.
JOE KAPP
From Gustavo Arellano: The football player on the vintage Sports Illustrated cover looks beat.
He’s framed from the chest up, the No. 11 on his rumpled purple Minnesota Vikings jersey barely visible. The sky behind him is blue, but the midday sun is blasting down on his face. The player is squinting, he has sweaty, shaggy hair with a couple of strands of gray, and his mouth is open and gasping. Scars decorate his chin.
Beat, but still standing. Still looking for a shot to win.
“The Toughest Chicano: Viking Quarterback Joe Kapp” reads the front of the July 20, 1970, issue. Nothing else.
THIS DATE IN SPORTS
1913 — Donerail, ridden by Roscoe Goose, comes from fifth place in the stretch to upset Ten Point by one-half length and win the Kentucky Derby, paying a record $184.90.
1919 — Sir Barton, ridden by Johnny Loftus, leads the whole way to win the Kentucky Derby by five lengths over Billy Kelly. Sir Barton, the first to capture the Triple Crown, is one of three maidens to win the Derby.
1929 — British Open Men’s Golf, Muirfield: Walter Hagen wins 4th Open title, by 6 strokes from fellow American Johnny Farrell.
1941 — Whirlaway, ridden by Eddie Arcaro, wins the Preakness Stakes by 5½ lengths over King Cole.
1967 — Hank Aaron hits his only inside the park HR off of Phillies’ Jim Bunning, in Philadelphia.
1969 — The plans for the NFL-AFL merger are completed. The NFL will consist of two conferences of 13 teams, the AFC and NFC. The NFL will move three franchises, Baltimore, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, to the AFC.
1970 — Bobby Orr’s goal gives Boston its first Stanley Cup in 29 years. The Bruins beat the St. Louis Blues 4-3 for a four-game sweep.
1973 — The New York Knicks win the NBA title in five games with a 102-93 victory over the Lakers.
1973 — Stanley Cup Final, Chicago Stadium, Chicago, IL: Yvan Cournoyer has a goal and 2 assists as Montreal Canadiens beat Chicago Blackhawks, 6-4 to take title, 4 games to 2.
1974 — 7th ABA championship: NY Nets beats Utah Stars, 4 games to 1.
1978 — 22nd European Cup: Liverpool beats Club Brugge 1-0 at London.
1989 — FC Barcelona of Spain win 29th European Cup Winner’s Cup against Sampdoria of Italy 1-0 in Bern.
1993 — Bill Walton is inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
1995 — Real Zaragoza of Spain win 35th European Cup Winner’s Cup against Arsenal of England 2-1 in Paris.
1997 — Ato Boldon speeds to a mark of 9.89 seconds in the 100 meters at the Modesto Relays, becoming the sixth man in history to go faster than 9.90 seconds.
2001 — The XFL folds after one season. The football league, founded by the World Wrestling Federation and jointly owned by NBC, was a TV ratings disappointment.
2002 — Boston and Detroit play the lowest-scoring game in the NBA playoffs since the shot clock was introduced in the 1954-55 season. The Celtics edge the Pistons 66-64; the 130-point total is far below the previous low of 142 registered three times.
2005 — Miami’s Dwyane Wade becomes the fifth player in NBA history with at least 30 points, 15 assists and five rebounds in a playoff game, joining Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Walt Frazier and Oscar Robertson. Wade’s 31 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds lead the Heat to a 108-102 victory over Washington.
2006 — Cam Ward makes 28 saves in Carolina’s 3-2 win over New Jersey to become the second NHL goalie to win his first seven postseason starts. The 22-year-old rookie joins Tiny Thompson, who did it for Boston in 1929-30.
2009 — Russia defends its gold medal at the world ice hockey championship, beating Canada 2-1 on in a rematch of last year’s final.
2009 — PGA Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass: Henrik Stenson of Sweden shoots a bogey-free final round 66 to win by 4 strokes from Englishman Ian Poulter.
2013 — Joe Sakic is hired by his former team, the Colorado Avalanche, as Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations.
2014 — Michael Sam is picked by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the NFL draft, becoming the first openly gay player drafted by a pro football team. Sam, who played at Missouri and was the Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year, is taken with the 249th overall pick out of 256.
2015 — PGA Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass: Rickie Fowler wins beating Kevin Kisner and Sergio García by 1 stroke in a playoff.
2016 — Stephen Curry becomes the first unanimous NBA MVP, earning the award for the second straight season after leading the defending champion Warriors to a record-setting season. Curry is the 11th player in league history to be voted MVP in consecutive seasons and the first guard to do so since Steve Nash in 2004-05 and 2005-06. Curry received 1,310 points from the 131 media voters.
2018 — Rafael Nadal breaks John McEnroe’s record of 49 straight sets won on the same surface after beating Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-4 in the third round of the Madrid Open. Nadal extends his winning streak to 50 consecutive sets on clay, eclipsing the mark McEnroe established on carpet in 1984.
2018 — The Winnipeg Jets advance to the first Western Conference final in their short history after knocking off the NHL’s best team in the regular season. Tyler Myers and Paul Stastny score 2:06 apart in the first period, and the Jets stun the Nashville Predators 5-1 in their first Game 7.
2022 — Tom Brady agrees to record 10-year, $375-million deal to be Fox Sports’ lead analyst when he decides to finally retire; surpasses $303-million the quarterback earned in salary during his NFL career.
—Compiled by the Associated Press
And finally…
Highlights from Lakers-Warriors Game 4. Watch and listen here.
Until next time…
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