Anthony Davis showcased an extraordinary performance, tallying 27 points, a season-high 25 rebounds, and a career-best seven steals to propel the Los Angeles Lakers to a 120-109 triumph over the injury-depleted Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night.
Davis also contributed five assists and three blocked shots in what stands as one of the standout games in his illustrious career. Taking advantage of a Minnesota lineup missing key players, including their top two big men and four regulars due to injuries, Davis dominated the boards with 21 rebounds in the second half alone.
His stellar performance included leading a 21-4 rally to start the fourth quarter, propelling the Lakers to their 12th victory in 17 games.
“When we’re out there having fun, everybody’s confidence is high,” Davis remarked. “When we’re talking trash to the other team, we’re holding each other accountable, and we’re just playing the right way. We know what it takes. It’s just about having the consistency of playing that way every night.”
According to Sportradar, Davis joins a select group of players in the 1982-83 season with at least 25 points, 25 rebounds, and five assists in a game. Reflecting on Davis’s performance, Lakers guard Austin Reaves commented, “Ten offensive rebounds is crazy…The steals are crazy. Seven steals are very, very impressive.”
LeBron James contributed 29 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds to the Lakers’ victory, further solidifying the team’s performance against top opponents following recent wins over Oklahoma City and Milwaukee.
Naz Reid and Anthony Edwards each scored 25 points for the Timberwolves, who struggled to contain Davis without key players such as Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Despite the depleted Timberwolves lineup, Davis acknowledged their resilience, stating, “They still have guys who can make plays, and they still find a way to win ballgames.
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, we are trying to close the gap in the standings.” The victory for the Lakers sees them six games above .500 for the first time since the conclusion of the 2021-22 regular season.
However, the Timberwolves faced significant challenges, with key players sidelined due to injuries. Gobert, who missed his third game of the season, was fined $100,000 by the NBA earlier Sunday for comments questioning the integrity of officiating.
Towns is likely to remain out until the postseason following surgery for a torn meniscus in his left knee. The Lakers were without swingman Cam Reddish due to a sprained right ankle, adding to their injury concerns.
