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It was an Anthony Davis show at the Crypto.com Arena as his historic night pummeled the shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves 120-109 to go six games above the .500 mark. The center had 27 points, a season-high 25 rebounds, and a career-high seven steals, coupled with five assists and three blocked shots.
Davis pounded the Timberwolves, who were without Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns into submission. The win saw the Lakers improve to 36-30 and greatly increase their chances of finishing in one of the top six. However, there is work to be done despite having momentum on their side.
As for Davis, his staggering stat line made him the first player in NBA history to record the kind of numbers he did on Sunday — all of which came after he was listed as questionable ahead of the matchup.
The 9x All-Star was a doubtful starter after his collision with forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in LA's last game against the Milwaukee Bucks but started strong against Minnesota. His feat also surpassed Shaquille O'Neal's to become the first Laker to record 25+ points and 25+ rebounds in a single game.
The game also saw the return of LeBron James, who after missing the last game continued his consistent streak with 29 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists.
Austin Reaves added 19 points. The win on Sunday led by a dominant display from Anthony Davis registered a win against another top-seeded outfit in the league.
How does Anthony Davis' dominant style of play this season help the LA Lakers?
The LA Lakers' championship aspirations bank heavily on Anthony Davis and his style of play this season. The big man has been the team's defensive presence and has seen the better of the opponents on offense owing to his size and versatility. On the defensive end, he can seamlessly guard all five positions and hold his defense from the three-point line. Add to this his elite rebounding skills that have been on display throughout this season.
Despite his length, acumen, and athleticism, Davis is yet to win the DPOY but is making a strong case for the award this season. One primary reason has been the lack of games he has played every season. This time, however, things appear to be different as he has already played 62 of the 66 games this season and is propping up 24.7 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists.
His aggressive play on both ends of the floor makes him a legitimate threat to other teams. If he maintains his health, LA can go the distance and may just bag another title in the Anthony Davis-LeBron James era.
