LOS ANGELES — — Anthony Davis scored a season-high 27 points to go with 25 rebounds and a career-high seven steals while leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 120-109 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in numerical disadvantage, Sunday evening.
Davis added five assists and three blocked shots in one of the most prolific games of his decorated career. The nine-time All-Star feasted on a Minnesota lineup that lost its two best big men and four regulars to injuries, grabbing 21 rebounds in the second half alone and leading a 21-4 rally to start the fourth quarter as the Lakers pulled away. to their 12th victory in 17 matches.
“When we’re having fun, everyone’s confidence is high,” Davis said. “When we say stupid things to the other team, we hold each other accountable and we just play the right way. We know what it takes. It’s just about having the consistency to play that way every night.
Davis is just the eighth player since the 1982-83 season with at least 25 points, 25 rebounds and five assists in a game, according to Sportradar. Nikola Jokic did it last season, joining a shortlist that includes Charles Barkley and Kevin Garnett.
“Ten offensive rebounds is crazy,” said Austin Reaves, who scored 19 points for Los Angeles. “I felt like every time we shot and missed, he was there to give us a second chance with offensive rebounds, get on the line. The flights, I don’t know. The flights are crazy. Seven interceptions is very, very impressive.
LeBron James had 29 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as the Lakers knocked off another top team after wins over Oklahoma City and Milwaukee in their six home games. Los Angeles (36-30) is six games above .500 for the first time since the final day of the 2021-22 regular season.
Naz Reid scored 25 points and made five 3-pointers in his first start of the season for Minnesota, which made 16 of its season-high 46 3-point attempts. Reid delivered his second straight stellar performance after scoring a career-high 34 against Cleveland last 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 a good team,” Davis said. “Obviously they’re missing key pieces of their team, but they still have guys that can make plays, and they still find a way to win games. We just wanted to come out as a team effort and knowing that wherever we are in the standings and how important this game was, to try to close the gap in the standings.
Anthony Edwards also scored 25 points for the Wolves, who have lost four of six. Minnesota missed nine straight shots to start the fourth quarter while Los Angeles pulled away.
“The ball movement dried up a little bit, but really it was the offensive rebounds at the other end of the court that hurt us the most in the fourth,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “I was confident we were able to come back, but there are so many second shots, and it’s tough at this point. … (Davis) should have dominated us. He had size. It had length. He had it all. He would stay in the paint for seven or eight seconds every time they shot the ball. It’s easy to pick it up. But we need to do a better job of rooting it out.
James returned after sitting out due to injury for the ninth time this season when the Lakers stunned Milwaukee 123-122 Friday night behind D’Angelo Russell’s 44-point performance. Davis injured his left shoulder in that game in a collision with Giannis Antetokounmpo, but it didn’t visibly slow him down.
Edwards played through an ankle injury, but Gobert sat out with a right hamstring strain. Gobert, who missed his third game of the season, was fined $100,000 by the NBA earlier Sunday for a series of transgressions calling into question the integrity of NBA officials on Friday.
Towns missed his third straight game for Minnesota since being diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee. The big man will likely be sidelined until the playoffs after surgery.
Kyle Anderson was also out with right shoulder soreness, and Monte Morris missed his second straight game with a left hamstring strain.
Lakers swingman Cam Reddish has been ruled out with a sprained right ankle. It was the second additional game he has missed since returning from a month-long injury absence in late February.
FOLLOWING
Timberwolves: At the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday night.
Lakers: at Sacramento Wednesday evening.
——
APNBA:
