A relief.
The Los Angeles Lakers snatched their place for the play-offs, where they will meet the Memphis Grizzlies, thanks to their play-off victory Tuesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, after overtime (108-102).
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Like their regular season, which ended in 7th place in the Western Conference, the teammates of LeBron James, author of a double-double (30 points, 10 rebounds), had to whip after a failed start to the game - LA trailed 60-49 at the break.
Gobert suspended and absent after his stroke
Deprived of their French pivot Rudy Gobert, suspended for a meeting by his franchise after an altercation with a teammate on Sunday, the Wolves are not yet out of the race: they will have a second chance of qualifying on Friday, against the winner of the play-off between the Pelicans of New Orleans (N.9) and the Oklahoma Thunder (N.10), a match which will take place this Wednesday.
Read alsoNBA: Gobert absent from trip to Los Angeles, after his altercation
LeBron James Gary A. Vasquez/REUTERS
Miami has another shot at qualifying with the winner of the game between the Toronto Raptors and the Chicago Bulls
In the other play-off game played on Tuesday, in the West, the Atlanta Hawks, 8th in the regular season, overthrew the Miami Heat (N.7) 116-105, thanks in particular to his bench (53 points in the total).
In the first round of the play-offs, they will face the Boston Celtics, who finished 2nd in the regular season.
Again, the defeated Miami has another chance to qualify on Friday, against the winner of the match between the Toronto Raptors (N.9) and the Chicago Bulls (N.10), also scheduled for Wednesday.
The play-offs start on Saturday.