* The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Lakers 103-93 on Wednesday to tie their Western Conference playoff series 1-1. Xavier Tillman scored a career-high 22 points and pulled down 18 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies to the win, while the Lakers LeBron James led all scorers with 28 points and Japan’s Rui Hachimura added 20 to become the first Laker to score 20 points off the bench in back-to-back playoff games since Magic Johnson did so in 1996. Jaren Jackson Jr., the newly named NBA Defensive Player of the Year, scored 18 points, Desmond Bane added 17 and Brooks scored 12 with Tyus Jones, starting in place of Morant, adding 10.
The Lakers will head home for Game 3 against the Grizzlies on Saturday night.
* Brook Lopez scored 25 points and Jrue Holiday added 24 to help the Milwaukee Bucks defeat the visiting Miami Heat 138-122 on Wednesday night, tying their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at a game apiece.
Despite the abscence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks went 25 of 49 on three-point attempts to tie the NBA record for three-point baskets in a post-season game. Pat Connaughton added a playoff career-high 22 points while going six of 10 from beyond the arc. Jimmy Butler led the Miami scorers with 25 points while Bam Adebayo finished with 18.
The Heat will host Game 3 against the Bucks on Saturday.
* Jamal Murray scored 40 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter helping the Denver Nuggets defeat the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 122-113 on Wednesday night, giving them a 2-0 lead in their NBA playoff series.
Nikola Jokic added 27 points, nine assists and nine rebounds for the Nuggets, while Anthony Edwards had 41 points for the Wolves. Minnesota had shot just 39 per cent in the first half, just slightly better than it did in a 29-point loss in the series opener Sunday night.
Game 3 between the Nuggets and Timberwolves will be held in Minneapolis on Friday night.
Editorial credit: Brocreative / Shutterstock.com