The Lakers saw a 21-point halftime lead cut to single digits late in the fourth quarter, but key baskets by Steve Blake (11 points, 10 rebounds and 15 assists) were too much for the Cavaliers to overcome.
With Los Angeles only able to dress eight guys for action, it was at quite the disadvantage from the very beginning. With Robert Sacre and Chris Kaman fouling out and Jordan Farmar and Nick Young succumbing to injury, the Lakers faced a rare situation where they could only put four guys out on the floor.
Sacre was allowed to stay in the game, but every foul he would pick up from that point on would result in a technical foul for the team.
The Lakers' three-point shooting played a major part in why they were so successful, hitting 18-of-37 from behind the arc. Cleveland was held to just 37.6 percent shooting, but it did have a major advantage on the glass (57-40).
Game Grades for Los Angeles Lakers
Jordan Farmar, Point Guard
After sitting out the previous 16 games with a hamstring injury, Jordan Farmar made his triumphant return to action on Wednesday night, giving the Los Angeles Lakers yet another healthy backcourt option.
For someone who hadn't played since Dec. 29, Farmar looked like he hadn't missed a beat.
Speaking of things Farmar wasn't missing, his three-point shot would also fall under that category. He had a game-high 19 points on 5-of-6 shooting from three-point range by halftime.
He wasn't on the floor late in the game, as it appeared that his hamstring was acting up again.
It's just another example of how injuries have taken over th...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
