Los Angeles— On Sunday, Anthony Davis led the Los Angeles Lakers to a 120-109 win over the short-handed Minnesota Timberwolves with 27 points, 25 rebounds, and seven steals.
Davis had five assists and three blocked shots in one of his best games. The nine-time All-Star took advantage of Minnesota's lack of top two big men and four regulars, grabbing 21 rebounds in the second half and sparking a 21-4 fourth-quarter surge as the Lakers won their 12th game in 17 games.
Davis: “When we’re out there having fun, everybody’s confidence is high. “When we trash talk the other team, we hold each other accountable and play the right way. What it requires is known. That consistency of playing that way every night is key.” Sportradar lists Davis as the eighth player since 1982-83 to score 25 points, 25 rebounds, and 5 assists. Last season, Nikola Jokic joined Charles Barkley and Kevin Garnett in doing it.
“Ten offensive rebounds is crazy,” said 19-point Los Angeles player Austin Reaves. I thought he gave us second chances with offensive rebounds and getting to the line when we missed. Not sure about the thefts. Steals are insane. Seven steals is amazing.
LeBron James scored 29 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds as the Lakers defeated another top team after beating Oklahoma City and Milwaukee on their six-game homestand. Los Angeles (36-30) leads by six games.500 since the end of the 2021-22 season.
Minnesota made 16 of its season-high 46 3-point attempts in Naz Reid's debut start, scoring 25 points and hitting five 3-pointers. Reid scored a career-high 34 against Cleveland on Friday, but the Wolves' depleted interior defense couldn't stop Davis without Rudy Gobert or Karl-Anthony Towns.
This team is No. 2 in the West and still good,” Davis added. “They're missing key players, but they still have playmakers and win games. We came out as a team knowing where we were in the standings and how vital this game was to close the gap.” Wolves have dropped four of six. Anthony Edwards scored 25 points. Minnesota missed nine straight shots to start the fourth quarter as Los Angeles drew away.
“Ball movement dried up a little bit, but really it was the offensive rebounds at the other end of the floor that hurt us more in the fourth,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. I thought we could come back, but so many second shots made it hard. Davis should have overpowered us. He was big. He was long. He had it all. Every time they shot, he was in the paint for 7–8 seconds. Getting it is simple. We must do better at removing him.”
James returned from injury for the seventh time this season as the Lakers defeated Milwaukee 123-122 on Friday night behind D'Angelo Russell's 44 points. Davis didn't slow down after colliding with Giannis Antetokounmpo and injuring his left shoulder.
Gobert missed with right hamstring stiffness, while Edwards played through an ankle ailment. Gobert, who missed his third game of the season, was fined $100,000 by the NBA on Sunday for challenging Friday's refereeing. Towns missed his third straight Minnesota game due to a damaged left meniscus. Surgery may keep the big man out until the playoffs.
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