When LeBron James is on the team anything is possible. The LA Lakers star put in a commanding performance Friday to help the Lakers reach the Western Conference finals.
The 38-year-old scored 30 points, nine rebounds and nine assists as the Lakers eliminated defending champions Golden State Warriors with a 122-101 Game 6 win in LA for an unassailable 4-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
It is a remarkable turnaround for the seventh seeded Lakers who had started the season 2-10 before several trades helped turn around their season.
They will next face top seeds Denver Nuggets on the road in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday with a place in the NBA Finals an ever-closer possibility.
For the Warriors – winners of four of the last eight NBA titles – it was a first Western Conference series loss under Steve Kerr. Stephen Curry contributed 32 points but it was not enough against an inspired Lakers.
Anthony Davis added 17 points and 20 rebounds as the Lakers extended their postseason record at home to 7-0.
Elsewhere, the Miami Heat beat the New York Knicks 96-92 in Florida in Game 6 of their series, to become the first eighth seeds in 24 years to reach the Conference finals.
Miami will play either the Philadelphia 76ers or Boston Celtics, who play each other in Game 7 of their series Sunday.
Jimmy Butler scored 24 points with eight rebounds and four assists, while Bam Adebayo added 23 points for the 76ers.