Lakers snap 8-game skid with 120-101 win over Thunder

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Stanley Johnson scored a season-high 21 factors and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped their eight-game shedding streak with a 120-101 victory over the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on Friday night time.

Wenyen Gabriel added 16 factors because the Lakers wrapped up the house portion of their dismal season with their first win since March 21 regardless of enjoying with out LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony.

Jaylen Hoard had a career-high 27 factors and 17 rebounds, and Georgios Kalaitzakis scored a career-high 25 factors whereas the Thunder used solely six gamers of their fifteenth loss in 19 video games. Oklahoma Metropolis is ending its first back-to-back shedding seasons since relocation in 2008 with two video games in downtown Los Angeles.

The Lakers improved to 11-30 since Jan. 7 when their supporting forged grabbed this win with out 4 injured stars. James was dominated out for the season earlier within the day with an ankle harm, scuttling his bid to win his second NBA scoring title.

Los Angeles was eradicated from playoff competition Tuesday, absorbing the ultimate blow in one of the embarrassing seasons in current NBA historical past. Davis’ return from his prolonged harm absence wasn’t sufficient to spark the Lakers into even a play-in spot regardless of the wealth of veteran expertise on their roster.

James, Davis and Westbrook performed collectively in solely 21 video games this season.

This recreation additionally might be the Los Angeles farewell for coach Frank Vogel, who appears prone to be the autumn man for the Lakers’ woes. Vogel led the Lakers to their seventeenth championship within the Florida bubble solely 18 months in the past, however they misplaced within the first spherical of final yr’s playoffs earlier than the faceplant of their present season.

Kalaitzakis, the Greek rookie who started the season with Milwaukee, scored in double figures for the third time in 4 days since signing with the Thunder out of the G League final Tuesday.

Hoard additionally put up his newest line of eye-popping numbers whereas the three-year NBA veteran is getting his first prolonged enjoying time of the season this month.

TIP-INS

Thunder: Isaiah Roby took a tough fall and checked out of the sport within the first quarter, however returned sparingly resulting from foul bother.

Lakers: Gabriel received a typical NBA contract earlier within the day, punctuating his strong play since becoming a member of LA on a two-way contract March 1. … Davis, Westbrook and Anthony are usually not dominated out for Sunday’s season finale, Vogel mentioned. … Kendrick Nunn missed his 81st consecutive recreation with a bone bruise in his proper knee, a preseason harm initially anticipated to sideline him for 3 weeks. He has a $5.25 million participant possibility for subsequent season after by no means enjoying this season.

BIRTHDAY CAP

The Lakers celebrated Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s upcoming seventy fifth birthday at halftime. The NBA profession scoring chief was joined by a number of former teammates at midcourt as Herbie Hancock serenaded him over an enormous cake. Abdul-Jabbar turns 75 on April 16.

UP NEXT

Thunder: At Clippers on Sunday.

Lakers: At Nuggets on Sunday.

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Extra AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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