Luka Doncic scored 16 of his 31 points in a dominating first quarter and added 12 rebounds and nine assists as the Los Angeles Lakers evened their Western Conference first-round playoff series with a 94-85 victory over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday.
LeBron James added 21 points and 11 rebounds, Austin Reaves scored 16 points and Rui Hachimura had 11 as the No. 3 seed Lakers rebounded from a 22-point loss in the series opener Saturday. Game 3 is Friday in Minneapolis, where the Timberwolves went 2-0 against Los Angeles in the regular season.
Julius Randle scored 27 points and Anthony Edwards added 25 for the No. 6 seed Timberwolves, who shot 38 percent from the field after shooting 51.2 percent in Game 1, when they were also 21 of 42 from 3-point range. Minnesota hit a season-low five 3-pointers on 25 attempts in Game 2 and scored its fewest points this season.
Los Angeles roared out to a double-digit lead less than seven minutes into the game. The Lakers were up 34-15 at the end of the first quarter, shooting 55 percent while holding Minnesota to 27.8 percent. The Lakers led by 22 points in the first half and were up 58-43 at halftime.
Thunder 118, Grizzlies 99
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points to lead Oklahoma City to another comfortable home win over Memphis.
The Thunder, who won the opener by 51 points, lead the best-of-seven Western Conference series 2-0. Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday in Memphis. Jalen Williams added 24 points for Oklahoma City, which never trailed. Chet Holmgren contributed 20 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks, and Alex Caruso scored 13.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 26 points while Ja Morant added 23. Jackson scored 13 of his points in the third quarter, when the Grizzlies outscored the Thunder 27-20.
Pacers 123, Bucks 115
Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton each had a double-double as Indiana withstood a late rally to beat Milwaukee in Indianapolis for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series.
Siakam had 24 points and 11 rebounds while Haliburton had 21 points and 12 assists for fourth-seeded Indiana, which never trailed. The best-of-seven series shifts to Milwaukee for Game 3 on Friday. Andrew Nembhard finished with 17 points, Aaron Nesmith added 16, Myles Turner had 15 and Bennedict Mathurin scored 14 off the bench.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led fifth-seeded Milwaukee with 34 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists. Portis posted 28 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, Lillard added 14 points and Kyle Kuzma had 12 points. The Bucks shot 50.6 percent from the field and 40 percent (14 for 35) from beyond the arc, but committed 16 turnovers.
