No. 4 seed Los Angeles defeated No. 5 seed Houston, 112-108, in overtime Friday in Game 3 of the NBA playoffs first round at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
The Lakers lead the best-of-seven series, 3-0.
Former Tennessee basketball player Dalton Knecht did not play for Los Angeles due to a coach’s decision.
LeBron James led the Lakers in scoring with 29 points. Rui Hachimura scored 22 points, while Marcus Smart totaled 21 points for Los Angeles. Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic did not play for the Lakers.
Knecht was selected in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft (No. 17) by the Lakers.
He transferred to Tennessee from Northern Colorado and played for the Vols during the 2023-24 season under head coach Rick Barnes.
During his one season at Tennessee, Knecht averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. He led the Vols to a SEC regular-season championship and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight for a second time in school history.
The Lakers and Rockets will next play Friday in Game 3 of the series. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. EDT at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
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This article originally appeared on Vols Wire: Former Vol does not play in NBA playoffs Game 3