PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Dalano Banton scored 23 points and the Portland Trail Blazers ended their season Sunday with a 109-81 victory over the playoff-bound Los Angeles Lakers, playing without Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
Rookie Dalton Knecht had 27 points for the Lakers (50-31), who had won the last six meetings with Portland.
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Shake Milton, left, dribbles the ball against Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht, left, and Alex Len, right, celebrates after making a basket against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)
Los Angeles Lakers forward Markieff Morris, right, shoots the ball against Portland Trail Blazers guard Sidy Cissoko, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)
Portland Trail Blazers forward Kris Murray, right, celebrates the made basket with Rayan Rupert, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)
Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara, left, dribbles the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)
The Lakers had already locked up the third seed in the Western Conference with a 140-109 win over Houston on Friday. The Lakers will face the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the opening round.
With a postseason berth secured, James (left groin strain) and Doncic (left quad soreness) were among those that did not play. Bronny James made his first start of the season, finishing with four points.
The Blazers were earlier eliminated from the postseason for the fourth straight season. But Portland, with the second-youngest roster in the league, surpassed expectations to finish 36-46.
Earlier Sunday, the Blazers announced that coach Chauncey Billups had agreed to a multi-year contract extension.
Portland held off the Lakers throughout the first half. Matisse Thybulle's 3 pointer gave the Blazers a 48-42 lead and Portland went on to extend the lead to 58-43 at the break.
Portland went on to lead by as many as 33 points.
Lakers: Also sat starters Rui Hachimura (patellar tendon), Austin Reaves (right ankle) and Jaxon Hayes (right hand contusion).
Trail Blazers: Were also short-handed with Anfernee Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson Deni Avdija and JeramiGrant sidelined.
The Blazers outscored the Lakers 31-18 in the third quarter and headed to the fourth with a 89-61 lead.
Alex Len fouled out with just 13 minutes of play for the Lakers. He finished with four points.
The Lakers host Minnesota in the opening round next weekend with the date and time to be determined. The Trail Blazers head into the offseason.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Los Angeles Lakers guard Shake Milton, left, dribbles the ball against Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Dalton Knecht, left, and Alex Len, right, celebrates after making a basket against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)
Los Angeles Lakers forward Markieff Morris, right, shoots the ball against Portland Trail Blazers guard Sidy Cissoko, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)
Portland Trail Blazers forward Kris Murray, right, celebrates the made basket with Rayan Rupert, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)
Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara, left, dribbles the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)
DENVER (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting and the Los Angeles Clippers evened their first-round playoff series against the Nuggets with a 105-102 win in Denver on Monday night.
“It feels like he didn't miss a shot,” James Harden said. “His shot-making ability is elite.”
Good thing, too, because his teammates were a combined 26 of 66 for a 39% clip.
“I made shots tonight,” Leonard said. “I just keep playing, try to stay in the zone no matter if I’m making or missing shots.”
And the fifth-seeded Clippers needed every bit of his brilliance to snatch the homecourt advantage in the series from the fourth-seeded Nuggets.
“This is what Kawhi lives for, getting healthy for the playoffs,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “We know if we've got a healthy Kawhi, we can win any series.”
After appearing in just two playoff games over the last two years, the 33-year-old two-time Finals MVP is healthy and looking like his old self after missed the first 34 games of the season because of lingering issues with his surgically repaired knees.
“I'm just happy I'm able to move, you know, coming out of the game feeling well,” Leonard said. “I sat and watched these playoff games the last two years, so yeah, to be front-line out there, it feels good.”
Christian Braun was long on a 3-pointer with 6 seconds left, and Nikola Jokic, who recorded his 19th career playoff triple-double, grabbed the rebound but also missed a 3, with 1 second remaining.
The series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 Thursday night.
The Clippers, who lost Game 1 in overtime, haven’t lost back-to-back games since March 2-4, a stretch of 23 games, and they handed David Adelman his first loss in five games since replacing Michael Malone in a stunning move on the eve of the playoffs.
Jokic, just the third player to average a triple-double over a season, had 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists and Jamal Murray added 23 points for the Nuggets, who also got a bounce-back game from Michael Porter Jr. (15 points and 15 rebounds) after his 3-point performance in Game 1.
It wasn't enough against Leonard, who had 21 points at the break, including a pull-up 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer that broke a 52-all tie.
“To his credit, he was awesome tonight,” Adelman said.
“He just got to his spots,” Murray said. “And even when we're there he made some tough shots. He had a night. He got going and he was tough to stop.”
Leonard also had a key steal of a Jokic pass with 37 seconds remaining in the game, but Harden missed at the other end and Braun grabbed the defensive rebound with 11 seconds left.
The Nuggets committed 20 turnovers — the same number the Clippers had in Game 1 — and missed eight free throws. “That was a killer,” Adelman said.
Jokic had an uncharacteristic seven turnovers and missed 4 of 10 free throws.
Porter sprained his left shoulder in the closing minutes when he turned the ball over and hit the floor with Kris Dunn rolling over him in the scramble. Porter grimaced while getting dressed afterward and said he hoped that his shooting in L.A. won't be affected being that it was his left shoulder.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, top right, looks to pass the ball to guard James Harden, bottom right, as Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., left, defends in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, center front, looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32), forward Michael Porter Jr., center back, and center Nikola Jokic, right, defend in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, top, drives to the basket as Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden, bottom, defends in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, right, looks to pass the ball as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, and forward Michael Porter Jr., center, defend in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, right, drives past Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, in the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA playoff series Monday, April 21, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
